Keeping Up With the Waynes
by SWGraysonPaladinOmniChick227
Summary: An AU one-shot series featuring Ace the Bathound and his sister. Rules of the AU are in chapter 3. Stories are mainly Dick-centric, so prepare for fluff, angst, and feels! Story 19: A Death in the Family.
1. Chapter 1: Meetings

Chapter 1: Meetings

* * *

 **RULES OF THE AU**

 **Ages have changed**

 **Dick was eight, not nine when he started out. Wally, Roy, and Kaldur started out a year later when they were all 11 and Dick was 9.**

 **Ace is not the only dog the Waynes have.**

 **Oneshots do not have to be connected, but there will be some semblance of an overarching story. These chapters will be marked with "S" for storyline.**

 **You** _ **can**_ **request a oneshot topic, even if it is unrelated to the storyline.**

 **There will be AU or AltEnding oneshots.**

 **Kaldur has always known Dick's secret ID, but only Wally and Roy learn his backstory since Dick doesn't see Kaldur much.**

* * *

 **Me: Yay! FLUFF!**

 **Disclaimer: Omni owns nothing.**

 **Me: Straight to business huh?**

 **Disclaimer: What can I say? I like one shot series.**

* * *

 _ **Ages: Roy: 11 Wally: 11 Kaldur: 11 Dick: 9**_

 _ **Remember, these ages are AU so Roy is not 3 years older than Wally, just a few months older.**_

 _ **Summary: Dick meets his fellow sidekicks.**_

 _ **Rated: K**_

 _ **Humor/Friendship**_

* * *

Robin flipped down in front of Batman with a smirk on his face. The nine-year-old was excited, unable to keep still.

Tonight, he would be meeting the other sidekicks. Sure, he was pretty jazzed about meeting Flash and Aquaman, but to have other kids around his age that he could hang out with was going to be fun too.

"You ready?" his partner inquired.

"As I'll ever be," he answered.

They entered the forest clearing. Aquaman and a boy of about eleven with tattoos on his arms, along with Green Arrow and a boy dressed in red and yellow were already there.

"Late again! He can run at the speed of light and the Flash is _still_ never on time," Oliver groaned.

"Calm down Arrow," Batman chuckled.

Robin sauntered over to Speedy.

"Cool suit," he complimented.

The older boy smiled. "You too."

Aqualad moved over next to them. "Hello."

"Hi," the other protégés replied.

"My name is Kaldur'ahm but you may call me Kaldur or Aqualad," he introduced himself, holding out a hand.

They both shook it.

Dick looked to Bruce hopefully, and he man sighed and nodded.

"I'm Robin, but you can call me Dick," he said.

"I'm Speedy, but my name's Roy. Please use it," Roy piped up.

They giggled.

There was a rush of wind and two people in bright suits were standing there.

"I _told_ you we would be late," a boy about Roy's age whined.

Robin's eyes lit up, taking in the Flash and his partner, Kid Flash.

"Hey there Bats, Arrow," he said quickly, ignoring his nephew's complaining.

He turned and saw Robin, squatting down so he was a little lower than his face.

"And you must be Robin," he assumed.

"Yup! The one and only," the child declared proudly, puffing his chest out.

Barry smiled. "Pleasure to meet 'ya kid," he said, shaking his gloved hand. "Nice grip there."

Robin was beaming.

While he wandered over to Wally, Flash leaned towards Batman.

"He's adorable," he whispered.

Batman, to his surprise, smirked.

"I know."

Robin shook Wally's hand joyously.

"Awesome to meet you!" the latter said.

"Same to you!" Robin replied.

"I'm Wally."

"Dick."

The sidekicks began to chatter. But as always, as they were having fun, time flew by.

"Come one Kid, time to head home," Flash called.

The eleven-year old stuck his lower lip out and crossed his arms. "But I don't _wanna_ go!"

Arrow was about to laugh when Roy crossed his arms indignantly too. Kaldur was the only one who was hesitant but eventually he too gave his mentor a pleading look.

Batman attempted to Bat-glare Robin, but he was met with a gaze equally as dangerous has his. The four were very determined.

"Tell you what," Flash began. "Since I know Bruce so well, maybe you can come back tomorrow in your street clothes, since it's a Saturday, and he'll let you hang out at the park. Sound good to you guys?" he asked his fellow league members. Aquaman nodded, then Arrow.

"Bats?" Flash tried.

The vigilante looked at the children, whose big hopeful eyes were twinkling at him. He sighed.

"It's fine with me," he caved.

"Yes!" they all exclaimed.

"C'mon Robin, we're going to be late for patrol.

Arrow poked Flash. "If Dinah says anything I'm telling her it was your idea."

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: Too cute? I don't know…Also, would you guys want me to add a chapter explaining the AU in detail?**

 **Disclaimer: I would.**

 **Me: Shush. You're not a reader.**

 **Disclaimer: Well…I…Fine.**

 **-SWGJOC227**


	2. Chapter 2: Can I Keep Em?

Chapter 2: Can I Keep Em?

* * *

 _ **Summary: Dick wants a pet. Bruce doesn't. So Alfred decides to compromise. Hilarity ensues. Daddy!Bats**_

 _ **Humor/Family, K, Bruce W./Batman, Richard G./Robin, Alfred Pennyworth**_

 _ **Ages:**_

 _ **Dick: 9 ½**_

* * *

 **Me: PUPPIES!**

 **Disclaimer: SPOILERS! Also, Omni owns nothing.**

* * *

As the limo rolled down the street, Dick spotted a woman walking her dog and frowned.

"How come we can't have a puppy?" he asked Bruce.

"Because it would wreck the place," he replied simply.

"How 'bout a cat?"

"Claws on my furniture."

"Bird?"

"Squawking all day long."

"Hamster?"

"Teeth."

"Fish?"

"…"

"Hah!" the nine-year-old exclaimed.

"The answer is _no_ Richard," the man affirmed.

"But—"

"No buts. Now drop it," the man ordered.

Dick huffed, crossed his arms, and turned away from him to look out the window.

* * *

Alfred watched Dick playing out of the corner of his eyes as he dusted. The boy had a small black dog plush that he'd picked up from some shop. He was stroking its fur longingly, probably hoping for the real thing.

The butler sighed, then turned and marched into the kitchen.

"Alfred?" Bruce inquired.

"All due respect Master Bruce, but I believe you are being entirely unreasonable," he said.

"How do you mean?" the younger man asked.

"I believe a pet would be good for Master Richard, especially when you are away on business trips," Alfred answered.

Bruce sighed. "Now Alfred—"

"To be completely honest, Master Bruce, I seem to remember you having this exact argument with Master Thomas when you were Richard's age," he cut in.

Bruce seemed to contemplate this.

"I'm sorry Alfred, but you will not convince me to get a pet."

* * *

Bruce wiggled his finger through the kennel door and let the little snow white puppy nibble and lick his fingers.

By some miracle, Alfred had gotten him to Gotham's pound. Bruce had told him "if we're going to get a pet, it's going to be a _real_ pet."

The dog was a terrier.

"He's a cutie, but I can't stand lap dogs," he told the worker.

She nodded at him and led him over to a kennel at the end of the row.

A mother German shepherd was there with five multicolored puppies.

"These two are inseparable," she said, pointing to a pair of them that were playing tug of war. "They're actually mixes. Their father was mostly timber wolf. They're going to be enormous when they grow up. From what we can see, they inherited the wolf build, and his black fur. They also got his size and teeth."

The two tumbled over each other then bounced toward the door. True, their paws were too big for them and their fur was fluffy like a wolf pup. They looked like wolves with markings of a shepherd, to put it simply. Only two of the five had black fur like their father.

"They are cute," he agreed.

"And they're also pretty good guard dogs. That's Sadie," she said, pointing at the sister who had normal markings. "And that's Ace." she pointed at the brother, a black colored shepherd.

"Master Bruce, these may not be the right fit. After all, you would have to adopt them both," Alfred pointed out.

The two puppies' brown eyes gazed up at him.

He smirked at his butler.

* * *

Alfred grinned at him smugly as he tried to get the puppies to sit still. Ace would be his dog, he decided, and Sadie would be Dick's.

"You be quiet," he stated.

"As a mouse, sir," he returned.

They pulled up to the mansion.

"Well mouse, how about you help me get them in these ribbons and into this stupid box before I rip my hair out," Bruce said sarcastically.

Alfred smiled and moved to help him. Bruce picked the box up and carried it inside.

"Master Richard, come down here please!" Alfred called.

The boy trotted down the stairs.

"Yeah?" he responded.

He set the box down.

"Merry Christmas?" he said awkwardly.

Dick's nose wrinkled. "It's June," he pointed out in confusion.

"Just open it," his partner sighed in exasperation.

He knelt and lifted the lid.

Sadie and Ace tackled him and began licking his face repeatedly.

The boy squealed with glee as he rubbed their fur and squeezed his eyes shut to avoid their wet kisses.

He finally managed to sit up, causing Ace to bound over to Bruce. Sadie stuck close to Dick. It seemed the dogs agreed with Bruce's decision.

"Is this real?" he asked as Sadie stuck her neck and continued to lick his chin from her spot in his arms.

Bruce smiled warmly at the look on his face.

"Their names are Sadie and Ace, but you can change them if you'd like," he replied.

Dick shook his head. "Uh-uh. I like that," he declared.

He stood and hugged Bruce tightly, allowing Sadie to nibble on the buttons of his suit.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he exclaimed, before setting the puppy down and beginning a game of chase with her. Soon, his joyful giggling filled the house.

Yes, Bruce decided as he stroked the three month old puppy in his arms, this was the right decision.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: N'aww….I love fluff. GET READY FOR MORE!**

 **Disclaimer: Oh lord…**

 **Review please! Leave your ideas!**

 **-SWGJOC227**


	3. INFO CHAPTER

**INFO CHAPTER**

 **Okay, so I was asked to make an info chapter.**

 **Rules of the AU are as follows.**

 **Rather than becoming Robin at 9, Dick became Robin at 8. The other sidekicks showed up not long later. Wally is still 2 years older than him, but Roy is not 3 years older than Wally. Instead, he's the same age, if a little older. Kaldur is only a couple months older than Wally, having his birthday around the same time as Roy.**

 **Sadie and Ace are German shepherd/Timber Wolf mixes that have the same markings of a shepherd but the size, shape, and fur densities as a wolf. At 6 months old, they're about the size of Dick himself, but at a year they are fully grown and big enough to carry a toddler on their back without breaking a sweat. Only Ace will become a Bat Dog, while Sadie is more of a family dog.**

 **Later animals that I will not reveal much about:**

 **Mango: A sun conure.**

 **Chloe: A Turkish Angora kitten.**

 **Oahu: A bottlenose dolphin with a scar on her back.**

 **More Rules:**

 **Not all stories will be a part of the Keeping Up With the Waynes storyline. Stories that have nothing to do with it will be marked with a "D" for deviation.**

 **Stories will range from Hurt/Comfort to Tragedy and Angst to Humor and Family. Ratings, Genres, Characters, Ages, or other pertinent information will be listed before the story along with a summary of the chapter.**

 **No story will contain sexual content, although there will be Chalant and Spitfire occasionally, which means kissing. Suggestive content is the farthest it will go.**

 **I am very open to suggestions so leave reviews if you have ideas, but please be patient. I can't do every chapter at once. Especially now, since winter break is almost over.**

 **I appreciate creative criticism, but no flaming please. ; )**

 **I am not a comic genius, hence why this is AU.**

 **Bring tissues, there will be sad ones.**

 **I wouldn't hold my breath if you're hoping for a deathfic, but I may write one if I'm feeling bored or depressed.**

 **If you have any questions, DM or review and I'll get back to you as soon as I can!**

 **Guests, leave a name when you review. That way, I can more accurately respond to your review!**

 **Thanks for reading, stay tuned for the next chapter, coming very soon!**

 **-SWGJOC227**


	4. Chapter 4: Thunderstorms

Chapter 4: Thunderstorms and Laser Pointers

* * *

 _ **Summary: While Ace, Bruce, and Alfred are away, Dick and Sadie have to brave the terrors of a thunderstorm. That, and it's Sadie's first time away from her brother for more than a day.**_

 _ **Note: Ace is not Bat Dog yet, but Bruce has been paying for the training of both dogs as attack dogs to protect Dick and his home while he's away.**_

 _ **Ages:**_

 _ **Dick: Almost 10 Sadie & Ace: 6 months (About the size of Dick)**_

 _ **K, Friendship/Humor, Richard G./Robin, OC**_

* * *

 **Me: MOAR PUPPERS!**

 **Disclaimer: SHE'S SO FLUFFY!**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **BirdFlashIsNotAThing: Well, looks like all your questions have been answered. Enjoy the read!**

 **BFINAT Chapter 3: I'll get right on that! I actually have one where he breaks his arm on patrol, so maybe I can change it!**

* * *

Dick and Sadie yelped at the same time as a loud thunder clap sounded from outside. Rain and wind shook the windows. The two huddled closer together.

"It's okay Sade, it's just…it's just thunder," he affirmed.

Another loud boom and he squealed. She looked at him like he was crazy.

"You were scared too!" he pointed out.

She huffed.

"Come one, let's go to Bruce's room. He has a big window where we can watch the lightning," he decided.

Dick had always loved lightning. It was thrilling to watch. He supposed that's why he and Kid Flash hit it off so well. That, or their love for Chicken Whizzies.

Sadie wandered ahead of him as they emerged from under the comforters and jumped down to the floor, making their way up to Bruce's room. They entered the massive living quarters and stared out the window. While Dick loved the sound of rain, he hated the thunder. He never knew why, but now he supposed the noise reminded him of his parents. The crack sounded much like the snap of a trapeze wire to him.

Sadie, after a while, stood and stretched, then lumbered over to the nightstand, standing on her hind legs and sniffing around.

"Hey Sade, whatcha doin'?" he asked.

She picked something up in her mouth and carried it over, dropping it at Dick's feet. He carefully picked it up, wiping the dog drool off of it with his shirt tail.

"This is one of Bruce's presentation thingies," he mused, pressing a few buttons.

One of the buttons caused a little red laser to cast onto the floor. Sadie went wild. She pounced on it and he let go of the button. She tilted her head and whimpered in confusion, claws scraping along the wooden floor as she tried to dig for the laser.

As she did, Dick began to laugh. He turned it back on and moved it in circles around her. She began to twirl in around, claws clacking as she growled and barked at it. To Dick's amusement, she continued to spin for a moment even after he let go of the button again.

After a few turns, she stumbled and fell down, flailing dizzily as Dick laughed so hard his stomach hurt. When she regained her footing, Dick led her into the long hall, a mischievous grin on his face.

He ran the laser up and down the hall, and she was more than happy to chase it. Dick's giggling echoed through the mansion, all semblance of fear forgotten.

To his horror however, after a few minutes of laser chasing, she slipped and skidded, knocking into a table and causing a glass bowl to fall. Luckily, it landed upside down on the massive dog's head.

He began to chuckle as he walked over to her.

"Good girl," he praised, gently taking the china off her head and putting it back on the table.

They both looked up at a clap of thunder.

"C'mon Sadie," Dick yawned through the first word. "Let's go watch the rain s'more, before we break something."

* * *

Bruce and Ace reasonably panicked when they couldn't find Dick and Sadie. The fear was unwarranted however, when Ace sniffed them out up in Bruce's room. Dick was using Sadie's belly as a pillow and curled up on the wooden floor. She growled when he tried to pick him up before realizing it was her master and her brother, whom she greeted with a lick on the cheek and a wagging tail. Bruce lifted the boy into his arms and put him in the bed, rolling his eyes when Sadie jumped up next to him and flopped down, falling asleep almost instantly.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: N'aww that's cute.**

 **Disclaimer: Of course it is. You wrote it ya doofus!**

 **Me: Dweeb!**

 **Disclaimer:** _ **Please**_ **stop quoting Ben 10…**

 **Me: At least I'm not directly quoting the reboot.**

 **Disclaimer: True. *shudders***

 **-SWGJOC227**


	5. Chapter 5: A Walk in the Park

Chapter 5: A Walk in the Park

* * *

 _ **Summary: Wally, Dick, and Roy go out to the park to hang out for Dick's birthday. We also meet Mango and Chloe for the first time.**_

 _ **Time: September**_

 _ **Note: Birthdays are also AUs. Dick's is September 14**_ _ **th**_ _ **, Roy's is November 9**_ _ **th**_ _ **, Wally's is January 24**_ _ **th**_ _ **, Kaldur's is March 10**_ _ **th.**_

 _ **Ages: Dick: 10 Wally & Roy: 12 Sadie & Ace: 7 months old Mango: 1 year old**_

 _ **Genre: Friendship/Humor**_

 _ **Wally W./Kid Flash, Richard G./Robin, Roy H./Speedy**_

 _ **Note: Kaldur is not a frequent member of the family, because Kaldur spends a lot of time in Atlantis.**_

* * *

 **Me: More fluff!**

 **Disclaimer: Omni doesn't own anything except the pets!**

* * *

Roy huffed. "But Ollie!"

"No buts Roy, I've already said _no_!" Oliver affirmed.

"But Dickie got a dog! And one of _his_ dogs is training to be a superhero!" he argued.

"I don't care about Dick, Roy. That was Bruce's decision. You don't _need_ a pet," he said.

"B—"

"This discussion is over."

They parked and stepped out, where Dick and Wally practically tackled Roy. They were giggling and for the time being, Roy forgot about a pet as they took off toward the playground.

"I can't believe you bought six cakes Bruce," Barry joked.

"Well, blame it on your sidekick Barry. He eats too much," the billionaire responded.

"Hey Ollie," Barry greeted.

"Hey…is that Mango?" the archer asked, pointing at the parakeet on his blonde friend's head.

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Mango, Wally," he ordered.

The bird flew off. It landed back on Wally's shoulder, making him giggle.

"You didn't clip his wings?" Bruce inquired.

"Nah. He's well trained. Just like Ace there," he said, pointing at the dog.

The shepherd was sitting at Bruce's side, looking up at him expectantly.

"Go play Ace," Bruce told him.

The dog took off and started playing with his sister.

"Guess what Wally, my doggie can do tricks!" the ten-year-old bragged.

"Oh really? So can Mango," the redhead retorted.

"Sadie, slide!" Dick called.

The dog ran toward the little stair case and went up to the slide, then skidded down the apparatus. Roy and Wally laughed.

"Watch this. Mango, flip!"

The bird took flight again, doing a flip and a barrel roll in the air. The other kids oohed and ahhed.

Bruce noticed Roy looking at them longingly.

"You guys having the pet argument again?" he asked Oliver.

"I've told him he can't have one but he's guilt tripping me and I feel bad," he admitted.

"You know, it might be good for him," Barry pointed out.

"I don't know…," he softened.

"Do it Ollie. Sadie made Dick so happy, and Ace is a great guard dog. They were definitely worth the trouble," Bruce agreed. "Besides, you don't have to take one on patrol."

"You mean like you?" he teased.

Bruce blushed. "Hey, in my defense it was Dick's idea. Besides, we still have Sadie. She's Gotham's Favorite Dog."

"Where do I even start?" he caved.

"Try the pound. You'll know the right pet when you see it," his older friend suggested.

"Bruce! Can we have cake now?" Dick called.

His partner chuckled. "Okay Dick, it's your party!"

"Yay!" the children exclaimed, running toward the picnic table. Dick continuously slipped pieces to Sadie, who at this point was just happy she didn't have to slide anymore.

But she loved her boy, and would do anything for him.

* * *

 _ **Time: November 9th**_

 _ **Ages: Dick: 10 Wally: 11 Roy: 12 Sadie & Ace: 8 ½ months Mango: 1 year Chloe: 8 weeks**_

* * *

"Happy Birthday Roy," Dick said, handing him a box.

"What…"

The box moved.

He gasped and set it down, opening it to find a pair of eyes staring up at him.

A snow white Turkish Angora kitten mewled and climbed out onto his lap.

"No way!" he exclaimed, hugging the kitten closely.

"Yes way," Oliver said, putting a hand on his shoulder.

He turned and hugged Oliver. "Thank you!"

"Thank your pals over there, it was their idea," he said, pointing a thumb at Dick and Wally.

"Thanks guys!" he called. He let the cat down.

"I'm gonna call her Chloe!" he declared.

"She's got cool eyes," Dick said.

Her eyes were bicolored, one blue and one green.

Presents forgotten for the time being, everyone crowded around the cat, except for Mango of course.

They held their breath when she wandered over to the two massive wolfdogs and pounced on Sadie's tail. However, she just kept smiling her doggy smile as the tiny creature used her massive body as her jungle gym.

"Welcome to the family Chloe," Dick said, scratching her under the chin.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: Was that too rushed? I feel like that was too rushed.**

 **Disclaimer: You're just not used to writing this much fluff in a row.**

 **Me: Good thing the next one is hurt comfort!**

 **Disclaimer: SHHHH.**

 **Me: Oh right…**

 **-SWGJOC227**


	6. Chapter 6: Flightless Birds

Chapter 6: Flightless Birds and Kitty Kisses

* * *

 _ **Summary: Wally, Dick, and Roy decide to go out on patrol together one night and madness ensues. Oh, and Dick breaks his arm.**_

 _ **Hurt/Comfort/Friendship**_

 _ **K+**_

 _ **Richard G./Robin, Wally W./Kid Flash, Roy H./Speedy**_

 _ **Ages: Dick: 10, Roy & Wally: 12, Ace & Sadie: 1 year (Full Grown) Chloe: 5 Months (Not quite full grown.)**_

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **BirdFlashIsNotAThing: IT'S SO CUUUTE!**

* * *

 **Me: Wee! Back to something I know how to write!**

 **Disclaimer: Omni owns nothing, except for the pets!**

* * *

"So…you just leave them for the police to pick up?" Wally inquired

"Yeah," Dick replied. "Bats doesn't really like publicity."

"Guys! Look!" Roy whispered.

He pointed across the street to the alleyway below.

"Help!" they heard a young woman cry.

"Let's go!" Dick said, grappling over to the other rooftop and dropping down into the alleyway.

"Really? Some kid thinks he can beat me?" the guy laughed. "You have to be joking."

Roy had jumped down too.

Robin dove at him, but the guy was ready. He grabbed the boy's wrist and twisted it. The other sidekicks froze at the audible snap that preceded the scream.

Roy snapped out of his disbelief first and shot the guy with a concussive arrow, knocking him down flat.

Wally was at Dick's side in an instant. "Crap…his arm is broken Roy."

Dick was whimpering in pain. "Shh…it's okay kiddo," Roy soothed.

"WhatdowedohisarmisbrokenohmygodwhatifhediesBatmanwillkillus—"

"You idiot, he's not going to die! It's a broken arm," he snapped.

"G-guys…," Dick began.

"No, don't. Just take it easy, we'll figure something out," Roy promised.

"But—"

"How are we going to fix this?" Wally cut him off in a panic.

"Guys!" Dick finally shouted.

"What?!" Roy returned.

"Why don't you call Batman or Flash or something?" he suggested.

Wally and Roy seemed to realize this.

"Oh. Uh, yeah. We'll do that."

* * *

"It hurts Bruce," Dick wailed.

Roy and Wally stood nearby with their less than pleased mentors but for the time being avoided a lecture as they were all too worried about Dick.

"I know son, I know. Just hold on a little longer. Alfred, do you have that morphine yet?" Bruce asked, to which the butler nodded and injected the painkiller into Dick's IV.

The other boys felt like idiots. They shouldn't have let Dick go in blind like that.

Bruce walked over to them and put his hands on their shoulders.

"He's going to be okay. It wasn't a bad fracture, but he'll be in a cast for about a month," he told them gently.

They gave him guilty looks.

"Hey, you did good bringing him here," he praised.

Somehow, they weren't reassured.

* * *

"This sucks."

"Dick, it can't be that bad," Bruce sighed.

"I can't go on patrol for like a month. How is it not that bad?" he complained, waving his bright red cast.

"On the bright side, you don't have to go to school for a few days," he settled.

"But I'll be _bored_ ," he whined.

Bruce rolled his eyes.

"Listen, I have to go. You hang out here. Alfred is just downstairs if you need anything," he told him.

Dick nodded begrudgingly and Bruce headed for work.

He sat for a while flicking the bedsheets. Sadie jumped down and retrieved the laser pointer they'd taken from Bruce's room.

"Not today Sadie. I'm not in the mood," he told her.

She whimpered and licked his face.

They both froze at the sound of muffled voices from behind the closed door.

She growled, but froze when she realized who it was.

Roy and Wally entered shyly.

"Hey guys, what are you doing here?" Dick inquired as Mango flew over to land on his head.

"We wanted to say sorry about your arm…and keep you company, I guess," Wally replied quietly.

"Hey, it's not like you broke my arm yourselves," he said.

"Yeah, but you had to remind us to call Bats and get you help while we were—"

"Panicking like crazy people?" he cut Roy off.

They smiled. "Yeah. Like crazy people."

Wally's comment made them chuckle, before Chloe jumped up on the bed and climbed on Dick's chest.

"Chloe!" Dick giggled as the cat began to lick his chin. Mango scooted backwards but tolerated the kitten being so close.

Sadie whined with jealousy and began to cover the rest of her friend's face with slobber, her massive tongue easily rivaling Chloe's.

"Agh! Sadie!" he yelped. They began to laugh uncontrollably.

"Master Richard, is everything—"

Alfred froze at the sight of two young boys gasping for air while the third tried to escape a mass of fur and feathers.

He backed slowly out of the room and strode down the hall.

Some other time then, he supposed.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Disclaimer: Alfred is literally me with Omni.**

 **Me: I heard that you little…**

 **Disclaimer: Heh…*runs***

 **-SWGJOC227**


	7. Chapter 7: Homefront-Wally's Side (D)

Chapter 7: Homefront-Wally's Side

 _ **Summary: This is a "D" story, deviant from the Keeping Up With the Wayne's plotline. This is more Wally-centric, focusing on his point of view during the last scenes of the episode Homefront. This is an AU where Dick actually DID drown, but Artemis managed to resuscitate him.**_

 _ **Hurt/Comfort/Friendship**_

 _ **K+/T depending on your mindset**_

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **BirdFlashIsNotAThing: I'll get right on that!**

* * *

 **Me: This one is going to be fun!**

 **Disclaimer: Yup! Omni owns nothing!**

* * *

I held my breath as Kaldur asked the question I couldn't manage to choke out.

"What of Robin?"

From where I was I could see Artemis abandon her bow as she dropped to her knees next to him.

"H-he's not breathing!" her voice cracked.

My heart stopped.

Helpless to do anything encased in the metallic prison, I could only watch as she began chest compressions. I mentally counted thirty before she gave two quick breaths. Nothing. She began compressions again.

"Come on, come on!" I whisper-yelled.

I sighed in relief, though the worry didn't drain away when I heard a choked, sputtering cough from above as Robin expelled the water from his airways.

Though he was pretty far off, I could still him say something stupid like he always did.

"Way to get traught," he'd panted.

"That's not funny!" Artemis snapped.

"Rob? Are you okay?" I called up to him.

"I'll manage KF," he replied.

But as Artemis helped him stand, he stumbled and had to lean against her.

They all made their way down, Robin drenched from head to toe and shivering.

"Way to go," I teased.

"Like you d-did any b-better, K-K-Kid Mouth," he quipped back, teeth chattering.

Artemis let him go, and he seemed to be able to stand better. She went off to grab something to free us.

"Never do that again," I reprimanded him.

"I'll do my best _mom_ ," he jabbed.

I rolled my eyes. Conner said something to M'gann, I think asking if she would be okay.

Artemis returned with a laser and began fiddling with it.

"Would you _quit_ playing with that thing and cut us free already?" I whined.

"It's not _working_ genius! EMP shuts down _all machines_ , remember?" she deadpanned.

"All machines present at the time."

Red Tornado showed up.

"What has occurred?" he asked.

"Had a little visit from your 'family'," Robin started.

"Your _extremely nasty_ family," Artemis added as Robin coughed quietly.

"I was not aware I _had_ relations," he mused, moving toward the two downed androids.

"Where have you been?" I asked him, not trying to hide the anger in my voice.

"Monitor duty on the Watchtower. When it became clear Cave communications were down, I attempted to investigate, but your zeta tubes were also nonfunctional. I transported to Providence and proceeded here," he answered.

Suddenly, Sphere dove from the wall and rolled over to Conner.

"Hey boy," he greeted it.

The laser went off in a short burst and Robin and I looked at each other in alarm.

"The pulse has worn off!" we warned simultaneously.

Red Tornado turned suddenly, eyes glowing red. Before we could react, the air was sucked from the room.

Robin and the others that were able clutched at their throats and as my world faded I saw Robin fall to his knees and pass out.

* * *

When I opened my eyes, I was met with my Uncle's worried gaze.

"You okay Kid?" he inquired.

I nodded.

"What happened?" I asked.

"We were hoping you could tell us," he answered.

I looked around and saw M'gann and Conner standing up wearily. Kaldur was already on his feet, Aquaman resting a hand on his shoulder.

I found what I was looking for when I saw Batman cradling Robin, cape hiding most of his body.

"Is he okay?" I eyed him carefully.

"He will be," Barry replied.

As if to answer my question himself, Robin coughed and moaned, eyes opening behind the mask.

"Easy, easy," Batman soothed as he momentarily panicked. Robin settled and Batman helped him sit up.

After a moment, he stood shakily, though his mentor steadied him when he stumbled.

I heard Artemis wake up too.

"What happened here?" Superman asked her.

"What happened? The _Reds_ happened! Tornado and his—wait, where are they?" she gasped.

"Gone," Robin began. "All three of them. Gone."

We all stood in silence for a moment as they freed us from our confines. When I was finally able to move, I was at Robin's side instantly.

"How are you feeling?" I inquired.

"A little waterlogged, but I'll be okay," he lied.

"Dude, you call drowning waterlogged?" I deadpanned.

Batman looked up sharply. "What?"

"One of the Reds drowned him. Took a minute to get him breathing again," I admitted.

Robin gave me a dirty look. "Traitor."

I smirked.

Batman immediately took him by the shoulder.

"Come on, Robin. Let's go somewhere warm and get you on some oxygen. And don't argue with me," the vigilante added as the teen opened his mouth.

He sighed and glared at me before allowing Batman to lead him away.

I felt bad for activating what I call Daddy Bats and sending him on Robin, but I wasn't going to sit around and let him go untreated.

Eventually, the other mentors took their protégés home. I was more than happy to go home with Barry and have some of Aunt Iris' famous hot cocoa.

* * *

It was a week before Robin was back in the Cave.

"Dude, where've you been?" Artemis asked.

He blushed.

"I uh…Bats made me stay home…I may or may not have um…," he cleared his throat. "Gotten a minor case of pneumonia."

I laughed at him. "And you say _I_ downplay my injuries. Rob, what is this, a contest? Because I could totally beat you in the injuries category."

"Wally, keep in mind I was pretty much clinically dead for like two minutes," he pointed out.

I tried to argue, but I couldn't form a sentence. I pouted.

"Fine. You win. You jackass."

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: Yay! I did it! Now, I just need to think of more ideas…**

 **Disclaimer: Or you know…do something productive with the last day of Winter Break?**

 **Me: Hmm….Nah.**

 **-SWGJOC227**


	8. Chapter 8: Irreplaceable

Chapter 8: Irreplaceable

* * *

 _ **Summary: Dick meets the new Robin and is oddly okay with his new little brother. So is the team. Only they find it hard to focus on their new addition when their missing piece has shown up.**_

 _ **Humor/Family**_

 _ **T**_

 _ **Note: Dick is about 17. Sadie is about 8 years old now, making her about 56 in dog years. Dick left when he was 15. Keep in mind he maintained Robin for about a year, then became Nightwing later. Wally and Artemis will retire just after Jason's death, so right now they're still on the team.**_

* * *

 **Me: Woo! Jason!**

 **Disclaimer: #pressxtojason**

 **Me: You watch too much Heavy Rain.**

 **Disclaimer: I know. Omni owns nothing!**

* * *

Dick sighed. He rubbed out a kink in his neck and whistled. His dog, a German shepherd/Wolf hybrid named Sadie came running and jumped up on the couch where he'd flopped down.

He let his head fall back against the top of the backrest and looked up at the ceiling of his apartment.

"Hey girl," he greeted her.

She huffed. He remembered when the massive lumbering dog was just a puppy. Now, she had graying fur around her snout and didn't play as much as she used to. The vets always told him she'd live until she was about fifteen.

He didn't tell them he didn't have that guarantee.

Growing up, he'd always been reminded that it was a dangerous life. He idly wondered how Wally and Bruce were doing. He stood and grabbed his phone.

 _'Wayne residence, Alfred Pennyworth speaking.'_

"Hey Alfie, it's Dick," he said.

 _'Why, Master Dick! How good to hear from you! How are you doing nowadays?'_

"Oh, you know, not as much fun over here in Blüdhaven. Never thought I'd say this but I kind of miss chasing the Joker all over the city," he quipped.

 _'Very funny Master Richard.'_

"Oh no Alfred I'm dead serious. It's not like I didn't have fun every time he hit me with a crowbar," he joked.

 _'So, what is it you've called for?'_

"Just, wondering if you'd protest me and Sadie coming over for a few days," he asked.

 _'That would be wonderful!'_

"Good. Uh, anything you need to warn me about? It's been a while," he inquired.

 _'Well, it is quite a funny story actually…'_

* * *

Dick blew out a bated breath as he opened his car door and let Sadie out. She leaped down to the ground and ran toward the door, howling and barking. She was obviously excited about seeing her brother, the Bat-Dog Ace.

He knocked on the mansion doors and heard Ace's deeper howl. That dog always refused to bark.

The doors opened and Alfred greeted him.

"Hey Alfie," he said.

"So good to see you Master Richard," he replied, giving the young man a warm hug.

"You too. Where's Bruce?" Dick asked.

Before he could get his answer, Ace barreled into him, knocking him down and licking his face with a wagging tail and whines of joy.

"I missed you too boy," he giggled. Sadie was equally happy, rolling to show her belly as Ace pounced on her playfully.

"Looks like they remember each other," he laughed as Alfred helped him stand.

"And Ace remembers you, Dick. He's missed being your partner," he pointed out.

"Yeah…how is he with the kid?" the teen asked apprehensively.

"Come see for yourself," the butler waved him inside.

He entered the manor, dogs hot on his heels.

The place hadn't changed.

"I will bring your things to your room," he said, taking Dick's case and striding off quickly.

A young boy of about twelve years old slid down the staircase railing. Dick frowned.

"I never got to do that," he mumbled.

"Who are you?" he asked, petting Ace who had gone to say hi.

"My name is—"

"Dick?"

He looked up and saw Bruce at the top of the stairs. He smiled at the older man.

"Hey Bruce," he said awkwardly.

The man moved swiftly down the stairs, and Dick braced himself for all possible situations.

Except the one that actually happened.

Bruce hugged him. More accurately, he squeezed the life out of him.

"Bruce…I need to breathe…," he wheezed.

"Sorry," the billionaire said sheepishly.

The boy looked at the two like they were crazy.

"Oh, Jason? This is Dick Grayson. Dick, this is Jason Todd," he said.

"Yeah, Alfred told me," he replied.

Bruce looked at his old friend. "You were in on this? You little traitor."

Alfred just smiled smugly.

Dick rolled his eyes and turned to Jason.

"I hear you're the new Robin," he mused.

The boy was standing with his mouth open.

"You're…you're the…," he babbled.

"Yep. I'm your predecessor kid," he finished.

"Cool," he breathed.

Sadie bumped his leg.

"And this is Sadie. She's Bat-Dog's sister," he said.

"Ace has a sister?" he questioned.

"Well, he had two. And a brother. No idea where they are now though. So, you're his ward then?" he asked, nodding toward Bruce.

Jason nodded.

"Guess that makes us brothers, huh?" he shrugged.

"Guess it does," he smiled.

"How long are you staying?" Bruce asked.

"A couple days. Thought maybe I'd go say hi to the Team after that," he said.

"The Team?" Jason inquired.

Dick gave Bruce a look.

"He hasn't even _met_ them?" he asked.

The man shrugged.

"Come on kid, I've got some stories to tell."

* * *

"Guys? You around?" Dick called into the Mountain.

A blur shot by and suddenly Wally was crushing Dick in a hug.

"Hey man!" he greeted jovially.

Sadie barked.

"Where is everyone?" he asked, looking around with his eyes behind sunglasses.

"Oh, recon. They should be back in like 20 minutes," Wally said. He noticed the boy standing at Dick's side. "Who's this?"

"This is Jason. He's…," he hesitated.

"I'm Robin," Jason finished.

Wally gave Dick a crestfallen look.

"Oh dude…," he began.

"It's nothing. I quit, why should I care?" he decided.

But he couldn't help feeling replaced. Then again, Jason was a cool kid, who was he to judge?

While the two got reacquainted, Sadie happily cleaned Wally's face.

"I see she remembers you," Dick chuckled.

* * *

 _Recognized, Zatanna, B0-8, Tempest, B1-0, Aqualad, B0-2, Superboy, B0-4, Miss Martian, B0-5, Aquagirl, B1-1, Artemis, B0-7, Rocket, B0-9. Wolf, C0-2._

Dick looked towards the zeta tubes.

"Honey, we're home!" Artemis called jokingly, but froze when she saw the two boys on the couch with her boyfriend.

"Wally, who are they?" Rocket asked.

"You guys look good. That's totally asterous," Dick quipped.

They froze at the wordplay.

"Robin?" Artemis inquired.

"Actually, he's Robin. I'm Nightwing. But hi Arty," Dick said.

They all rushed to hug him.

"It's so good to see you again!" M'gann said.

"It's good to see you guys too," he replied.

Meanwhile, Sadie and Wolf were investigating each other. Wolf was just bigger than her. They began to play.

"And who is that?" Raquel repeated, pointing at Jason.

"That's the new Robin," he admitted. "Bats asked me to bring him here. He'll be joining you," he said.

"Nice to meet you," he said to the group.

"You're not staying, are you?" Wally asked quietly.

They all looked at him. He gave them a look.

"You can't just leave!" Artemis whined.

"Hey, you guys were fine without me. Don't worry. I'm sure you'll see me again. But for now…M'gann, do you have any of your cookies lying around? I've missed those so much," he begged.

They all laughed.

"So Wally, how's Mango?" he asked.

"He's doing great. Still got some years left in 'im," Wally joked.

"Yeah. I wonder how Chloe's doing now that Roy's taken off," he said.

"Actually, Canary and Arrow took her home. She's really pretty nowadays," he replied.

Rocket was eyeing Dick carefully.

"What's up Raquel?" he asked.

"Oh nothing," he blushed.

She turned to Artemis.

"Hey, I know you're dating Wally and all," she whispered. "But Nightwing got _cute,_ am I right?" she said.

Artemis giggled, and the two boys by the couch gave her a look.

Jason was now playing tug of war with Wolf and Sadie.

And all of a sudden, it was like someone had flipped a switch at Mount Justice. Everyone was having fun.

Something that was hard to do without a certain teen that enjoyed butchering the English language. Something that would still be hard to do even with his successor around.

Because no matter what costume he wore, Dick Grayson was irreplaceable.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: I don't know if I like that, but wee!**

 **Disclaimer: That was pretty cute.**

 **Me: I know right?**

 **-SWGJOC227**


	9. Chapter 9: Ace the Bathound

Chapter 9: Ace the Bathound

Summary: Dick decides Ace would be a good superhero, and surprisingly, Bruce agrees.

 _Ages:_

 _Dick: 10 Sadie & Ace: 1 ½ years old_

 _Humor/Family_

 _K_

 _Richard G./Robin, Alfred Pennyworth, Bruce W./Batman, Ace, & Sadie_

* * *

 **Note: Not all oneshots are connected. They are all in the same universe (AU unless labeled D for deviant) but most are disconnected. This is because there are too many prompts to write in the time I have to work with. While there is a plot with recurring characters, there is no true overarching story. The fanfiction will end when and only when I decide it will. All clear? Good.**

* * *

 **Me: Yay! I'm back!**

 **Disclaimer: Thank God. Thought it was gonna be another hiatus.**

 **Me: …I wouldn't do that to you. You know that.**

 **Disclaimer:** _ **Please**_ **don't turn this into a Nicholas Sparks film…We don't own Young Justice by the way…**

* * *

 **Reviews**

 **Guest (Chapter 1): Sorry, I can't do that one. It's not really something I'm good at, especially since I'm not really a Terry fan.**

 **BirdFlashIsNotAThing: No problem, hope to hear more ideas from you in the future!**

* * *

Dick sat staring at Ace upside down from his spot on the couch where he was busying himself letting the blood rush to his head. He pulled himself into a normal sitting position and frowned slightly at the enormous mass of black fur. The dog's jaws hung open, revealing steel incisors. The shiny metal teeth were a result of an accident he'd had as a puppy. While many thought it made him look menacing, he and Bruce thought it made him look even more endearing.

"Hey Bruce?" he began.

"Yes Dick?"

"Has a dog ever been a hero?" the ten-year-old inquired.

"Of course. Haven't you seen the dogs police train?" he answered.

"No, I mean like a superhero," Dick elaborated, rolling to face Bruce who was doing paperwork on a nearby desk.

Bruce seemed to ponder the question. "Well that's a silly question then. You've already met Krypto."

"But what if they don't have powers like Krypto does?"

"Well we don't have any powers, do we?" he asked the boy.

"No," he replied sheepishly.

"Then dogs don't need powers, do they?"

"No." he repeated.

"Then there's your answer. Why do you ask?" Bruce tried.

"Well I was jus' wondering, how come Sadie and Ace can't be superheroes like us?" he asked.

"Because they're our best friends. You wouldn't want to see Sadie get hurt, would you?" he said.

"We could get 'em to wear Kevlar 'n all that stuff," he suggested.

Bruce looked over at Ace. Like Dick, he noticed how menacing the dog could be. Reasonably, he had all the attributes of a perfect attack dog. That, and being half wolf made him a perfect tracker. His color made him easy to hide in the darkness, and he always did well on agility courses.

"I suppose we could," he caved.

Dick's eyes lit up. "So they could be superheroes?"

Bruce was quick to clarify. "Not Sadie. She has to stay here. She's the family pet."

He nodded. "So Ace can start going on patrol?"

He pretended to think hard about it. "

Ace whined and he smiled at the two sets of puppy-dog eyes aimed his way.

"Alright, I don't see why not," he chuckled.

"Woo-hoo!" Dick exclaimed. Ace and Sadie howled and wagged their tails as they walked around.

Dick howled back at them, beginning a howling match.

And of course Bruce couldn't resist joining in.

* * *

"Ace the Bathound, sir?" Alfred asked in disbelief.

"In my defense, it was Dick's idea," the billionaire put his hands up.

"Shall I get to work on his measurements then Master Bruce?" he inquired.

Bruce smiled. "Yeah, you had better. Dick's already in the Batcave waiting for you."

"Very well then. Ace! Heel!" the butler called.

The wolfdog leapt off the couch and bounded over, sticking like glue to Alfred's side, looking up and waiting for further commands.

He followed him down into the Batcave.

"Hey Alfie!" Dick greeted him. "Ace, here boy!"

The dog padded over.

"Sit," the child ordered.

The dog sat. Alfred smiled. Dick did enjoy going over Ace's training routines with him, although he enjoyed Sadie's more because it involved a playground. "Down." He laid down. "Roll." Ace rolled over. "Up!" He stood up. "Play dead!" The dog dropped to the floor and laid still.

"Good boy!" Dick praised with a giggle, making him stand up and allow him to pet him and feed him a treat.

"Okay boy, stay still and let Alfred measure you now," he gave the last order.

Alfred took the calm animal's measurements as he stood unmoving as a statue.

"Got it. Would you like to help me Master Richard?" Alfred asked him.

Dick nodded and sprang to his feet from where he'd been petting Ace's ears while he wagged his tail patiently.

They set to work on the Kevlar chestpiece and leggings. They also lined the cowl with a thin layer of the bulletproof material to protect his head. Because Ace's ears were pointed up, he didn't need the classic bat ears that Bruce wore. The cowl also left his snout free but also covered his eyes, leaving plenty of room for him to open his jaws and unleash his twelve hundred pounds of bite force supported by his steel fangs on the unsuspecting criminals of Gotham.

Dick had much sway in the look of Ace's cape. It was smaller than his and Bruce's, but it was similar in style to the one on the Batsuit, with the same black arches at the bottom. It wouldn't hinder his agility or fighting, but it aided in speed and aerodynamics while jumping and sprinting. Dick also helped Alfred carefully sew the black bat-symbol into his chest. Then, they began to discuss what else to add. They settled on first making the collar. They added several tool panels that could be activated by remote control. Right in the center, they added a tracker in the shape of the bat-symbol.

"That way, he won't get lost," he reasoned.

"What about a grapple?" Bruce inquired as he entered.

"Huh?" Dick said.

Bruce scratched his dog behind the ear.

"Well, we do an awful lot of jumping across rooftops. How's he supposed to follow us if he can't grapple?"

Dick frowned, contemplating the problem for a minute. He looked around the cave for a moment before his eyes landed on the Batwing. His eyes widened and he grinned as the idea hit him.

* * *

"I've got to admit, this _was_ a pretty good idea."

"Of course it was. _I_ thought of it."

Bruce examined the small jetpack with silent engines that Dick had designed and spent the last week making. It had wings in the shape of a bat's. Dick called it the "Batpack."

They were still working on the name.

"Now we've just got to figure out how he'll operate it. After all, it's not like he can use a remote, and we certainly can't be directing his every move," the boy affirmed.

"Good point," Bruce agreed.

Both of them took some time to think.

Bruce looked Ace over, who was currently wearing his suit and the Batpack. There _had_ to be a way for him to drive the apparatus. The logical choice were pedals for his paws, but they would trip him up while he was running.

Then, he smiled. He took the collar from Ace's neck and turned it over in his hands.

The two got to work.

* * *

Ace leapt into the back seat of the Batmobile. On his back, he carried the Batpack—Dick won that argument—and his collar was fully tricked out. Infared scanner, night-vision activation for his cowl, even a lock pick. The Batpack itself was in a condensed form that fit underneath his cape until Bruce pressed the button on his belt that would open it. With it would come the pedals that unfolded from the jetpack. It had taken them several weeks to finalize the suit and collar and then train him to use his new toys. Having already been trained as an attack dog, it hadn't taken much to get him to attack when he saw a gun aimed toward him or his owners, or whenever they ordered him to.

Now, as they chased thugs through the streets of Gotham, Dick took great pleasure in letting Ace bring them down, much to their surprise.

The best part of the night was the guy that cornered Robin in an alley with a pistol.

"Shoulda brought some back up kid," he stated, cocking the gun.

Dick smiled menacingly. "Oh, but you're mistaken."

An almost demonic snarl filled the alley. The man paled.

"I did."

Dick whistled.

The criminal gulped as he heard the thudding of paws. He whirled and three loud pops echoed. But to his horror, the bullets met Kevlar and Ace barreled into him, teeth ripping through the sleeve of his hoodie like a kid on Christmas. He didn't even cringe at the blood.

"Get this crazy mutt offa me!" he wailed.

Dick smirked as Ace shook his arm like a chew toy. "Shouldn't have called him a mutt, dude. He hates being insulted like that."

He walked over and simply touched Ace on the head. The dog dropped him instantly and sat back.

The boy took the gun and tied the thief up.

"All yours Bats," he said proudly as Bruce showed up.

"Good boys," he teased, patting Ace.

The Dark Knight and his Boy Wonder had a new partner watching their backs.

Ace, the Bathound.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: That was fun.**

 **Disclaimer: Yeah.**

 **Me: And hard to figure out the Batpack. Like seriously. How the hell did the DC writers think of this stuff in the first place.**

 **-SWGJOC227**


	10. Chapter 10: Breathe

Chapter 10: Breathe

 _Summary: Dick discovers that swimming is kind of hard to do when you're unconscious, and Sadie proves she's just as much a hero as her brother._

 _Ages_

 _Dick: 10, Sadie & Ace: 1 ½ years_

 _Hurt/Comfort/Family, K+_

 _Richard G./Robin, Bruce W./Batman, Sadie_

* * *

 **Me: I'm just gonna get right into this one. I'm running out of funny intros again.**

 **Disclaimer: That's where I come in. What's green and has wheels?**

 **Me: I don't know, a green truck?**

 **Disclaimer: Nope. A dolphin. I lied about the wheels. And the green. I lied about the whole thing.**

 **Me: …**

 **Disclaimer: We own nothing.**

* * *

 **Reviews**

 **Bright Anarchy: YEAAAAH!**

 **BirdFlashIsNotAThing: Here. *throws chapters***

* * *

Dick kicked a rock as he walked along the edge of the pool. He was _bored._ Bruce was busy doing paperwork inside, so he and Sadie had gone outside to play. Occasionally, he would wave up towards his window, but so far the man hadn't noticed.

He sighed.

Sadie was wagging her tail as she bounced around in the nearby grass.

Distracted, he didn't notice how close to the pool he'd gotten until he lost his footing and fell. His exclamation of surprise was cut off as he hit his head on the side of the pool and plunged into the cool water. Sadie's head snapped up. She waited for a moment for her friend's head to breach the surface, giggling as he always did when he dove into the pool, but it didn't. She whimpered and let out a booming bark.

Bruce looked up idly at the faint sound, but when he saw her leap into the water after something and Dick nowhere in sight, panic shot through him and he stood quickly, abandoning his pen and paper, which both clattered to the floor.

He practically jumped down the stairs and made his way to the courtyard, almost knocking Alfred over in the process. He burst through the back doors to the courtyard just as Sadie's head emerged from the depths of the pool, jaws clamped tightly on the lifeless child's collar. She dragged him from the water and Bruce felt for his pulse, fear only increasing as he felt the faint flutter beneath his fingers. His blue-tinged lips were a heart stopping sight.

He heard the footsteps of Alfred's dress shoes and a gasp. He turned to see the butler standing with white gloved hands over his mouth in shock, face having drained of color.

"Alfred, call 911. Tell them a boy has drowned and that we need an ambulance," he ordered.

"O-of course sir," he replied, hurrying off.

Bruce began chest compressions, tilting his mouth open.

"One. Two. Three," he began counting. Once he reached thirty, he pinched Dick's nose shut and gave two quick breaths. He began compressions again.

To his utter relief, Dick let out a tiny sputtering cough, spitting out the water he'd inhaled. Bruce turned his head to the side and rubbed his back.

"Breathe," he soothed.

The boy obeyed, taking deep shuddering breaths. Bruce smoothed his wet hair out of his face that had begun to stick to his forehead and cradled him while he shivered violently. He allowed himself to collapse into Bruce's arms and let the distant sirens and Bruce's quiet comforting voice lull him into unconsciousness.

* * *

When he woke up, he felt something over his nose and mouth. He reached up and tried to smack it away, but a strong hand caught his.

"Easy. Leave it," Bruce ordered.

"Wha' happ'n'd?" he murmured sleepily.

The billionaire smiled. "You fell in the pool. But Sadie jumped right in and pulled you out so I could help you," he explained.

"Sadie?" he beamed with pride for his best friend.

"Yep. She's a hero," he continued.

"Wow!" the ten-year-old marveled.

He absently reached up and touched the bandage on his temple.

"When can we go home?" he asked.

"The doctors want to keep you overnight for observation, but if you're still okay in the morning, you can go home then," he answered.

"Aw man," Dick pouted. "I hate hospitals."

Bruce smiled. "I know. Tell you what. When you get out, we can go get ice cream. Sound good kiddo?"

His eyes lit up. "For breakfast?"

Bruce nodded happily. "For breakfast."

"Yay!"

* * *

Sadie whined and was wagging her tail so hard her rear end was shaking.

"Take it easy Sadie and give me a moment," Alfred chuckled.

He opened the mansion doors and the massive dog nearly barreled the giggling boy over, making him squeal with delight. Sadie's tail swept a vase off the table by the door, and Bruce quickly caught it.

"Welcome home, Master Richard."

"Thanks Alfie," the child returned gleefully as he plopped down on the couch so Sadie could jump up and lick the remaining ice cream from his face.

As Dick laughed jovially and fell back on the cushions with Sadie on his chest, Alfred and Bruce stood nearby.

"That dog is a hero," Alfred told him softly.

"Her brother must be very proud," Bruce joked, looking around. "Where is he anyway?"

"I believe Ace is in the backyard, sir," the butler answered.

Bruce noticed it had gotten very quiet and looked over at the couch. Dick had fallen asleep, and it seemed Sadie thought he made an excellent pillow. Her massive front legs and head rested on his chest protectively.

The two men smiled.

"Come on mouse, let's let 'em sleep," Bruce teased.

Alfred held back a chuckle at the reference to the day they'd adopted the two dogs.

It was a good day.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: N'aww…**

 **Disclaimer: Too much fluff.**

 **Me: Don't worry the next one is pretty depressing.**

 **Disclaimer: Oh boy.**

 **-SWGJOC227**


	11. Chapter 11: All These Years

Chapter 11: All These Years

 _Summary: Dick spends the night at Wayne Manor after Wally's death, and Bruce realizes that though things are much different from his days as Robin, some things about him would never change. (Bruce POV)_

 _Hurt/Comfort/Family, T_

 _Bruce W./Batman, Richard G./Nightwing, Sadie_

* * *

 **Me: Wee! Fast updates!**

 **Disclaimer: Oh God…this is post-Wally…I'm scared.**

 **Me: Good.**

 **Disclaimer: We own nothing.**

* * *

 **Reviews**

 **BirdFlashIsNotAThing: Oh just you wait.**

* * *

I sighed as I poured the coffee into Dick's mug. I knew it was a dirty trick, but I slipped him decaf instead of the good stuff. I'd contemplated slipping him a sleeping pill, but figured it was probably illegal. He needed _sleep_. He was too tired to be up, not that he'd admit it. Instead, he was going over every file on the Light that he had in his laptop trying to find the rest who'd escaped. Sadie was lazing by his side, and he would absentmindedly pet her every now and then. I knew he was pretty shaken up after what happened to Wally and all this inside-man business the past year. Kaldur and Artemis seemed to be the only ones who weren't pissed off at him. Just because it was his idea, they'd elected him the one to be mad at. Tim at least acknowledged him as he went upstairs for bed. I couldn't blame them though, I'd been pretty pissed too. But then I saw the look on his face. He looked wiped out, and I could tell that he was feeling guilty as hell for putting them all through that. I walked into the living room and put the coffee down in front of him. He briefly glanced at it, then turned back to his laptop.

"Nice try Bruce," he said. "Now go get me some _real_ coffee."

I frowned. "Dick, you need sleep."

He turned to look at me. "I take it that means you're not going to make me coffee," he deadpanned.

"You know it wasn't your fault, right?" I reminded him. Even now he was so easy to read.

"I never should've dragged them back into this. They were _happy_ ," he said quietly, too exhausted to argue.

"And what were you _supposed_ to do, Dick? I spoke with Kaldur. There was no one else you trusted, and I _know_ what you intended to do if she said no," I told him.

He paused and averted his gaze.

"What do you think I would've done if I thought you'd been killed? What about Tim? Or Barbara?" I continued.

"That's why I asked Artemis. Because I couldn't stand to leave _any_ of you!" he barked. His face and voice softened. "It was selfish."

My brow furrowed. "What you did was _not_ selfish Dick. It was selfless, and brave, and smart. Without your plan, the Light and the Reach would've gotten away with it, and most of us probably wouldn't _be_ here right now. I just wish you'd told me," I soothed.

He looked up at me with those sad, kicked-puppy blue eyes and there were tears glistening in them.

"I felt so alone…Wally was pissed at me half the time, and I could only talk to Artemis and Kaldur when they were pretending to try to _kill_ me. And you were off world for so long, I—"

He cut himself off, shook his head, and turned back to his work.

"I'll be fine. I just…I need some space."

"Dick…," I began.

"I _said_ I'll be _fine._ "

I sighed and turned away, leaving him to his busy work. He'd changed so much since he was nine. Ten years was a long time after all. My little Dickie-bird was suddenly all grown up and mature, and it _hurt_. He'd found his wings, and nothing was stopping him now. I wondered where he'd go next. Back to Blüdhaven, probably. Back to being awake days on end with no one to tell him to get some rest, or to eat. Back to being alone with no one to heal his wounds, both physical and emotional. I wish he'd visit once in a while. Ace missed him. I hoped I could convince him to come on one more patrol with the three of us. Ace liked Tim and all, but he and Dick worked like a well-oiled machine. That, and I was worried I'd need to retire Bathound soon. He was getting on in years, and the two dogs weren't the puppies they used to be. I worried Ace was losing his edge. Both of them had graying fur around their huge snouts and yet they easily rivalled both me and Dick in strength. It was incredible. Though he was still doing fine as Bathound, Alfred had agreed that he should pass the torch. Since Ace had never been fixed, I'd offered to have him bred with a female wolf-dog, this one being part great dane and part german shepherd, as well as timber wolf. She's _enormous._ I'd recently been informed that I'd soon have my pick of the litter, and Ace would have a son to train.

Ace barked at me, and I smiled.

"Come on boy, we'd better head out," I suggested. The dog was at the entrance to the cave before I finished my sentence. He loved patrol. I let Tim sleep, because at least he had more sense than Dick and passed out the second we got home.

I decided that it would be best if I let Dick have his way and left him alone.

But still, I didn't stop worrying even after the Batmobile tore out of the Batcave and into the streets of Gotham.

* * *

After seven straight hours of crime-fighting, Ace and I hopped out of the Batmobile and went upstairs.

When I went into the living room, I sighed when I saw the dim glow of Dick's laptop in the darkness. Then, I realized, he wasn't using it.

He and Sadie were sprawled out on the couch, sound asleep. The nineteen-year-old's head rested on the dog's belly, and her tail wagged in her sleep. Her head was on his upper back, and her front legs had him in a hug.

Ace trotted forward and grabbed the corner of a blanket that was at the end of the couch and pulled it up over Dick, who instinctively curled into its warmth. I grinned. Even after all these years, Dick still found comfort in sleeping against Sadie, though I suspected it went both ways.

I shuffled over and leaned down, kissing his forehead.

"Night Dickie," I murmured. I closed his laptop and set it aside, then turned off the lamp.

I love these dogs.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: Aw!**

 **Disclaimer: I was promised depression!**

 **Me: Well, I didn't want to be** _ **that**_ **depressing.**

 **-SWGJOC227**


	12. Chapter 12: Bathound vs Superdog

Chapter 12: Bathound vs Superdog

 _Summary: While petsitting for Clark, Dick and Bruce find out that Krypto and Ace aren't keen on sharing a house._

 _Ages_

 _Dick: 11 Sadie & Ace: 2 Krypto: Who the hell knows he's and alien IDEK?_

 _Humor, K_

 _Richard G./Robin, Bruce W./Batman, Sadie, Ace, Krypto_

* * *

 **Me: Yay! More puppers!**

 **Disclaimer: Also, rest in peace Gabe the Dog.**

 **Me: He's borking in doggy heaven now.**

 **Disclaimer: We own nothing.**

* * *

"Thanks again Bruce," Clark said as Krypto tugged on his leash. "He can be a real handful, but as long as you keep him busy he should be fine."

Bruce nodded. "He eats regular dog chow, right?"

"Yeah, but watch your hand if you want to give him a treat. I don't want to come back from Florida and hear you lost a hand," the Man of Steel warned teasingly.

"Ha ha. Now go, or you'll be late for your flight!" the older man urged.

Clark handed over the leash, and the dog almost yanked Bruce off his feet. The Kryptonian waved as he walked to his car.

Bruce waved back and then let Krypto drag him inside. Sadie greeted the other dog with a wagging tail, and he grunted when Krypto's tail smacked against his legs. He shut the door and unclipped his leash. Everything fragile in the manor had been put away in thick layers of bubble wrap until the Dog of Steel left.

Alfred walked over and handed Bruce the blue kryptonite collar he'd fashioned for Krypto whenever he came over to the house. He gave him a grateful look then slipped it over the white dog's head.

Sadie barked happily and pounced at him, instigating a game of chase. The two bounded around the living room, and Dick was all too eager to join in, barking like a dog.

All was fun and games until Ace lumbered in from the yard.

He spotted Krypto instantly and growled.

"Easy boy, he's a friend," Bruce tried.

Krypto bared his teeth and growled back.

Neither of the two Waynes wanted a fight to break out, one that Ace might lose, so they settled for standing in between them.

Both dogs huffed but made no moves to start a brawl in the house, so they sighed and stepped back hesitantly.

Krypto resumed his play fighting with Sadie, and Ace wandered over and jumped on the couch with Bruce, giving his master dirty looks.

"It wasn't like I _wanted_ to," he pointed out.

Ace huffed again.

"It's just for the weekend," he soothed, stroking his head.

The wolfhound growled softly.

"I'm talking to a dog, aren't I?" he asked himself. He nodded. "Yep. Talking to a dog."

Meanwhile, Dick was having his own fun with the superdog and his best friend.

And this continued for most of the day.

Key word: _most._

* * *

Krypto squeaked the chew toy he'd pulled from Ace's toy basket. Ace snarled, bounded towards him, and tried to snatch it from him. They both tugged viciously on the toy, growling and baring their teeth. After a while, they dropped it but continued staring at each other and snarling. They inched closer until their foreheads were pressed against each other, ears flattened.

Dick began to giggle uncontrollably, but Bruce sighed.

"Ace!" he called. "Heel!"

His canine partner was at his side in seconds.

Krypto picked up the toy and shook it triumphantly, but Sadie just wasn't having it. So she got up, trotted over, yanked the toy from his jaws, and pranced away.

* * *

When Clark returned on Monday, he found a very frazzled looking Bruce trying to stop the two from fighting.

Clark called out to his companion, who happily bounded over.

Bruce took the blue kryptonite collar, slapped his normal collar in his owner's hand, and glared at him.

"You owe me _big._ "

He slammed the door in his face.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: Lol**

 **Disclaimer: I love dogs.**

 **-SWGJOC227**


	13. Chapter 13: Hostage Situation

Chapter 13: Hostage Situation

 _Summary: Sadie and her boy are kidnapped, and she shows just how stupid messing with him is._

 _Ages_

 _Dick: 11 Sadie & Ace: 2_

 _Hurt/Comfort/Family, T_

 _Richard G./Robin, Bruce W./Batman, Sadie, Jim Gordon_

* * *

 **Me: Yay!**

 **Disclaimer:** _ **Finally,**_ **a story where cool badass things actually happen.**

 **Me: Ikr.**

 **Disclaimer: We own nothing!**

* * *

 **Reviews**

 **BFINAT (11): I need to chill with feels but I can't. Please send help.**

 **BFINAT (12): PUPPERS!**

* * *

Dick moaned as he opened his eyes. He heard Sadie whimper and looked over to see her chained to the wall. He himself was tied to a chair.

"Rise and shine kid," a burly man greeted sarcastically.

His voice was deep and rough, his face wide and a bit fuzzy.

Another man sat in the corner. He was thinner and younger, with short brown hair and dark brown eyes. He looked almost unsure of himself.

"Where am I?" he demanded.

The burly man smiled around the cigar in his mouth. "Ain't nonna your business sonny."

Dick frowned. "I am _not_ your _son._ "

His smile vanished. "Whadevah, still nothin' you need to know."

"What do you want from me?" he continued his inquiry.

The thug raised an eyebrow. "Ain't about you kid. Just waitin' for Wayne to fork over the cash so we can get the hell outta here."

Dick scoffed. "Yeah right. The Batman'll find you before that happens—"

He gasped when the man grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. Sadie growled and stood, chain rattling.

"I ain't afraid 'a no Bat. 'Sides, he don't know where we are," he let go of the boy. "He ain't gonna find us."

Sadie sat back down, but remained wary.

"Yeah, the Bats is a joke!" the younger sneered, though he bit his lip slightly. Dick could tell he really didn't want to be here.

"You're not gonna get away with this," he affirmed.

The older of the two leaned in close, and Dick could smell the smoke from his cigar. "Oh yeah? And who's gonna stop us? Like I said, the Bats ain't gonna find us, and I know the comish. He ain't gonna let no one hurt a kid. Not for all the money in the bank. Here's what's gonna happen. Wayne's gonna fork over the cash, Gordon's gonna let us go, and we're gonna ditch you. Anything else happens, you die. Got it?" he poked Dick's chest with the barrel of his pistol.

Sadie whined softly and tugged at her chain.

"Oh, and try anything funny, we'll shoot the mutt," he added, gesturing his gun towards Sadie.

"Don't _call_ her that!" the preteen ordered indignantly.

His captor grinned maliciously. "How about _roadkill_? That sound good to you?"

Dick gulped.

"'S what I thought," he said.

* * *

It was quiet for a while, and Dick didn't dare try to escape for a number of reasons. Firstly, they had guns, and he was unarmed. Second, he couldn't risk giving away his identity, as it wasn't exactly common for an average pompous preteen billionaire to know martial arts. Third, he didn't want Sadie to get hurt. In her current position, she was vulnerable and defenseless.

After a while, he could see the men getting impatient as they kept checking their phones.

"The hell is takin' 'em so long?" the older grumbled.

"Be patient Duke, it's only been a coupla' hours," the younger settled.

"How're they supposed to contact you anyway? You _can't_ have been stupid enough to use a phone, right? They can track stuff like that ya know," Dick piped up.

"'Course we didn't. Now shut it kid," 'Duke' spat.

"Can't be sending letters either. Did you give them a bank account number? 'Cause if you did, you're in pretty deep trouble," he ignored the warning.

"Wh-whaddya mean?" the other stumbled.

"Well if you did, they'd be able to figure out who you are, where you live, and what you look like. Then you'd _never_ be able to hide. They'd put your faces all over the news. Even if you managed to get new faces, the signature you used when you opened the account would be a dead giveaway. And no place would accept the bank account number, since it was associated with a felony and all. And it's not like you could get it in cash. You'd be arrested before you got to the teller," he explained.

"Duke man, what's he talkin' about?" he asked.

"Nothin' Jakey, not shut _up_ you little prick!" he warned again.

"Let's not forget about the Bat. He's a master tracker. And his Bathound is even better. I wouldn't be surprised if they're sniffing you out _right now_."

"I said _shut up!"_

Dick grunted as the thirty-something-year-old man backhanded him across the face.

Sadie shot to her feet instantly, growling and pulling at her chain.

"Ya know kid, we never said you'd be back _unharmed_ ," Duke threatened.

"Take your best shot," he taunted bravely.

Alight with rage, Dick smacked him again. This time, he felt blood trickle from his nose and lip.

Sadie snarled savagely, snapping her jaws at him. Her chain groaned from the weight she was putting into trying to escape.

"D-Duke, bro that's enough!" Jake begged.

"No Jakey, this little shit needs to learn to keep his mouth shut!"

He slammed a closed fist across Dick's jaw, and he yelped in pain.

Her master's cry was the last straw. As Duke raised his gun to hit Dick with it, Sadie let out an almost demonic roar that even a lion would envy and gave one final pull.

The chain snapped, and she lunged. Duke fired his gun, but the bullet missed by a mile. She flattened the huge man and he howled in agony as her sharp teeth tore into his arm.

Before Jake could fire, Batman and his Bathound crashed through the window above them, glass raining down onto the floor.

Jake dropped his weapon as Sadie continued to shake Duke's arm like a chew toy.

"No sudden moves, or you will _sorely_ regret it," he warned. Jake nodded rapidly.

He moved over to Dick, taking in the bloody nose and split lip with a dangerous glare as he untied him.

Dick whistled and Sadie let go of Duke. Batman tied him up as he writhed in pain, then moved on to his partner.

Sadie snuffled her friend's hand worriedly.

"Don't worry girl, I'm okay," he promised her.

"Come on, let's get you somewhere safe," Batman suggested.

Dick nodded and let Bruce scoop him into his arms and carry him from the building. They heard the wail of sirens, and Batman uncharacteristically stood and waited.

Gordon emerged from a cruiser and signaled his men to lower their weapons as he approached them. Bruce handed Dick over to him.

"Take him to the hospital, and get him checked out," he muttered. Then, he and Ace took off into the night.

"Hello there son," Gordon greeted.

"Hi Mister Gordon," he whispered back sleepily.

"How was it being saved by the Bat kiddo?" he inquired.

Dick shook his head. "Sadie saved me."

Gordon's eyes widened as he began to carry Dick back to the cruiser. "How'd she do that?"

"The bad guy hit me, but she got mad and broke her chain to come and save me," he explained.

Jim sat down in his car as Dick fell asleep in his arms. Sadie jumped in next to them and stared at her boy. He patted the dog's head. "Atta girl."

She wagged her tail.

* * *

Bruce Wayne burst through the doors of the police station, worried beyond belief. Though he knew Dick was alive, he didn't know how badly he was hurt. Jim had just called to tell him to come to the station. He spotted the boy sitting in a chair, kicking his legs back and forth. He had an ice pack on his nose, being held there by Jim. Sadie was next to him, watching him vigilantly. He held a rubber glove balloon in his hands. His eyes lit up when he spotted Bruce.

"Bruce!" he cried excitedly, and barreled into him full force. Bruce scooped him up in his arms and hugged him tightly, with Sadie weaving happily around is legs.

"Thank God you're okay!" he breathed truthfully. "I've been losing my _mind_!"

Jim meandered over and smiled at him. Dick fell asleep against Bruce's shoulder.

"Your dog is a real hero Bruce. But the look on your face when you saw him and got to hold him again? It reminds me exactly why I became a cop," he murmured, reaching over to ruffle the exhausted boy's hair.

Bruce grinned, and kissed his ward's forehead.

"How is he?"

"He cut his lip and bruised his face a bit, but he should be fine. Didn't even need stitches, the little champ," Jim mused with a chuckle.

"Good. Thanks for calling Jim," he said.

"No trouble Bruce. Now you head on home, and pick up something for that dog of yours on the way," he ordered.

"Will do. See you Jim," he chuckled.

"You too Bruce."

Bruce carried the sleeping boy back to the limo, where Alfred busily made sure that he was okay without waking him, smiled, then went back to the driver's seat. Bruce rolled his eyes and climbed into the back, where he held Dick until they got home.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: SAH KYAT**

 **Disclaimer: GO SADIE!**

 **-SWGJOC227**


	14. Chapter 14: Movie Night

Chapter 14: Movie Night

 _Summary: Kaldur's visiting the surface world, so Dick, Wally, and Roy drag him off to hang out at Wayne Manor._

 _Humor/Friendship, K, Richard G./Robin, Wally W./Kid Flash, Roy H./Speedy, Kaldur'ahm/Aqualad_

 _Ages_

 _Roy, Wally, & Kaldur: 12, Dick: 10, Sadie & Ace: 1 ½ years, Chloe: 7 months, Mango: 1 ½ years_

* * *

 **Me: Yay! I'm not dead!**

 **Disclaimer: Though you should be doing your Paper 3 experiment for AICE Environmental.**

 **Me: …How'd you know about that?**

 **Disclaimer: I know a lot of things. Just like I know we don't own Young Justice.**

* * *

 **REVIEWS**

 **BFINAT: See? What'd I tell ya?**

 **Guest: …*throws chapter***

 **Shadowswithouthope: Thanks. ʕ •ᴥ•ʔ**

* * *

"I do not see the purpose of this," Kaldur stated as Dick bounced excitedly around the microwave waiting for his popcorn.

"It's a movie watching tradition dude!" Wally replied, who already had three bowls of the fluffy golden snack waiting in the TV room.

Because he's Wally.

"Don't worry Kal, it'll be fun!" Dick assured him.

The microwave beeped and he snatched the popcorn bag, poured it in a bowl, and scampered back to the TV room.

"Come on guys!" Roy urged.

Dick was practically buzzing with enthusiasm at the sight of the "A New Hope" title screen. It was one of his favorite movies of all time.

Sadie was sprawled across part of the huge couch, and Dick took up a seat beside her. Roy had a pillow clutched in his lap that Chloe had relaxed on. The little white kitten purred in content. Mango was sitting on Wally's head, sharing his popcorn as he always did.

As far as the other boys knew, Kaldur didn't have any pets. Instead, Ace had elected to sit on the couch with him.

Rather than spreading out on the huge couch, they all huddled together in the middle, all clad in comfy PJs. All four had some semblance of a pillow. Dick was hugging Sadie's huge neck and clutching a stuffed bear. Wally had a giant plush bird, because for some reason they didn't understand he absolutely _adored_ birds. Kaldur simply had a pillow and his popcorn, which he occasionally fed to Ace.

* * *

"Shh!" Dick hushed at some point. "This is the best part!"

"In _your_ opinion. I'm more of a fan of 'aren't you a l—'"

"Shh!" he cut Wally off.

Han fired and killed Greedo, and Dick cheered, pumping his fist in the air.

"But he killed that man. Why are you cheering?" Kaldur inquired.

"Because he was a bad guy," Dick explained with childlike innocence. Then again, it was hard to forget he _was_ a child.

"Oh, I see. But why would he not just apprehend him?" the Atlantean asked in confusion.

"Han isn't a cop Kal. He's a smuggler. Besides, Han doesn't apprehend _anyone_. He shoots first and asks questions never," Wally added.

"Ah. That is not how the League does things," he mused.

"It's Star Wars Kal. It's just a movie," Dick giggled.

Kaldur gave a soft chuckle. "I know. It was just an observation."

"Oh. Hey look! It's Luke and Obi Wan!" Dick exclaimed.

The older boys smiled at his glee. Though they weren't all particularly Star Wars fans, they tolerated the film whenever he wanted to watch it.

* * *

About half an hour later, Wally nudged Dick.

"Hey, you want some more popcorn?"

No answer.

"Dick?" he tried again.

The child was leaning against Kaldur's shoulder, who hushed Wally and pointed at Dick's face.

He was sound asleep.

Wally grinned and elbowed Roy.

"That's freaking _adorable_ ," the archer whispered.

The speedster nodded.

Then, he grabbed a blanket from the edge of the couch and threw it over Dick's shoulders. He turned back to the movie.

* * *

When it reached the scene where Luke rescues Leia, Kaldur frowned.

"What does his height have to do with him being a 'Stormtrooper'?" he inquired.

"It's a joke," Wally replied.

He was careful not to wake Dick, who had rolled down from Kaldur's shoulder and was now sleeping against Sadie's.

"It is not very funny," he argued.

"It's not _supposed_ to be. But it is to some people," he continued, then coughed something that sounded an awful lot like 'Dick.'

"Also, I do not understand why they would wear such helmets. Would that not hinder their aim?" he asked.

Both redheads snorted.

"Their aim is awful anyway. The whole joke in Star Wars is how bad Stormtroopers are at their jobs," Roy replied.

"Your surface films are very strange," Kaldur said.

They laughed and looked back at the movie.

* * *

Later, closer to the Yavin Death Star scened, Roy reached over and poked Kaldur, gesturing to Wally.

The boy had passed out about ten minutes ago, and was now sleeping on top of Sadie with Mango asleep on his head. His mouth hung open slightly and he was snoring softly. One arm was draped across Sadie's side, the other wrapped around his plushie. His head rested against Dick's.

Sadie herself gave the other two boys a helpless look at the weight of the two preteens on top of her, but otherwise made no complaints.

* * *

Kaldur was alone.

More or less.

About fifteen minutes later, Roy had slumped against Wally and was now sleeping on the other boy's side. Chloe had taken up residence in the crook of his stomach.

Now, he was the only one awake besides Ace.

And the movie wasn't even over.

* * *

Bruce found them all there in the morning. Kaldur was sleeping on Dick's legs, which he'd tucked behind him. His own legs were underneath Ace's belly, who also had fallen asleep.

They were all a heap of limbs, fur, feathers, and popcorn, which had spilled all over the place.

He snorted and rolled his eyes, then switched off the TV, threw a blanket over them, and left them to sleep.

He called their mentors, letting them know they should probably wait to come pick the group up.

They all had a good laugh about it at the next League meeting.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: N'aww.**

 **Disclaimer: Please tell me this is the last fluff one for a while…**

 **Me: I don't know about a while, but the next isn't so fluffy.**

 **Disclaimer: GOOD!**

 **-SWGJOC227**


	15. Chapter 15: Failsafe AU (D)

Story 15: Failsafe AU (D)

 _Arc Summary: A four part Failsafe AU detailing the week after the training simulation, which the entire team spends at the Cave. Mainly Dick centric._

 _Part Summary: Dick stays the week at Mount Justice with his friends because he couldn't bear to face Bruce. That, and he needed to be close to the friends he thought the lost forever. (Days 1 and 2)_

 _Hurt/Comfort/Friendship/Angst_

 _T_

 _Dick G./Robin, Wally W./Kid Flash, Kaldur'ahm/Aqualad, Artemis C./Artemis, M'gann M./Miss Martian, Conner K./Superboy_

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **BFINAT: Sorry I died again!**

 **Guest: N'aww thank you!**

 **MusicLyric: HERE!**

* * *

 **Me: Finally back! Let's get right into this!**

 **Disclaimer: We own nothing!**

* * *

Robin sat curled on the couch in front of the TV. He could hear M'gann busying herself in the kitchen. He knew Conner was most likely in the gym tearing apart all the punching bags he could get his super-powered fists on. Artemis, Wally, Kaldur were all working on different things. He didn't know what exactly but he really couldn't care less.

He sat in the same spot until everyone started filing silently into their rooms. Wally paused to say something, then closed his mouth.

"Night," he settled.

They'd all decided they would stay together in Mount Justice until they could get over the exercise.

Robin nodded and Wally headed down to their room.

* * *

After a bit more brooding, he stood and wandered back to their shared living quarters. He removed his uniform and slipped into a white t-shirt and gray sweats. He even peeled off his mask and threw it to the side, rubbing his tired blue eyes and collapsing onto the mattress. For a while though, he found himself blankly staring at the ceiling unable to fall asleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw one of his friends getting vaporized.

He rolled over to stare at Wally's face. He was sound asleep, but Robin—Dick—could still see his terrified emerald eyes as the two of them were "killed." He realized now that he'd never really taken time to contemplate how much of a privilege it was to have Wally around. They'd been best friends, thick as thieves for years and yet…

He'd never told Wally how thankful he was.

Rather than counting sheep, he passed the time counting the freckles on his older friend's cheeks. Wally _hated_ those freckles. Dick always poked fun at him for it.

Time and time again he tried to close his eyes and rest, but he kept seeing Wally's face—his _brother's_ face—the one he made right before both of them were obliterated in the training simulation.

He tried to dispel the thought but found himself silently _hating_ Batman for putting them through the whole ordeal. Then again, it wasn't _his_ fault they became trapped.

Soon enough though, Dick succumbed to exhaustion.

But that didn't mean his sleep was peaceful.

* * *

 _'Artemis, look out!'_

 _ **'ARTEMIS!'**_

Dick let out a strangled gasp and sat bolt upright, M'gann's screams still echoing in his mind. He panted heavily and looked over at Wally. He'd rolled over so his back was facing Dick, and he was snoring softly. His red hair was messy and he'd clearly been sleeping well. Dick envied him. He sighed and stood, not bothering to grab his mask or his shades. He was too tired to keep up the secret identity. He rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand and stumbled out to the kitchen tiredly. He turned the sink on and threw some water in his face. He gasped at the freezing temperature of the liquid as it crashed against his warm skin. He put his arms out against the sink and let it drip from the bangs that hung down and touched his eyelashes. The water trickled down as though it were tears, which were truly beginning to gather in his eyes.

"Could you dream any louder?"

He nearly jumped out of his skin. He _must_ have been out of it if even M'gann could sneak up on him.

"Sorry, did I startle you?" she exclaimed, fingers covering her mouth in surprise.

He held a hand up.

"It's okay M'gann," he soothed.

She took a moment to look at him.

"You're…not wearing your mask," she observed.

"Nope," he answered.

"Blue eyes?" she continued her inquiry.

"Yep," he replied.

"What're you two doing up?" Wally yawned as he wandered into the kitchen.

"Oh, sorry, did we wake you?" M'gann apologized.

"Nah, just woke up wanting some water," he assured her.

"Oh."

"What did you mean earlier? About me being loud or something?" Dick asked.

"Oh, being a Martian the dreams of people around you can get pretty unnerving, especially when you know them well," she explained.

"You had another nightmare, didn't you?" Wally asked gently, reaching out to touch his arm.

He flinched, then frowned, staring at his feet to let his bangs fall down in front of his eyes.

Wally pulled him forward by his bicep and wrapped his arms around the younger teen's lean frame.

Dick let Wally crush him against his chest and let the tears fall.

M'gann's hand hovered over his back uncertainly for a moment before resting on his shoulder, rubbing it comfortingly as he shuddered with sobs.

"Shh…it's okay Dickie-bird. _We're_ okay," the speedster murmured in a soothing voice.

M'gann looked up and saw the others standing silently in the entryway. She hovered over to them.

"Say what you want about Wally, Artemis. But you've got to give him credit. He's incredible with Robin," she whispered to the archer.

Artemis watched Wally hold the boy close, rubbing the back of his head and whispering inaudible things to him. She smiled as he forced Dick to meet his eyes before he buried his face in his chest again.

The group stood and watched the hushed, tender exchange before Wally managed to calm him down. He moved away from his friend quietly and sniffed, but Wally continued to grip his shoulders and whisper reassuring words. He nodded tearily over and over, occasionally rubbing his now red, puffy eyes.

Suddenly, Dick collapsed against Wally, already half asleep.

But the latter, who usually didn't seem like the touchy-feely type—that was M'gann—surprised them when he turned around and let Dick wrap his arms around his neck. He then picked him up by the crooks of his knees, piggy-backed the sleepy thirteen-year-old to his bed and laid him down. Soon, his soft snores filled the room.

He continued the gentle ministration of smoothing Dick's hair back, something he'd been doing since they were children.

"That was very sweet Wally. It was amazing," M'gann whispered, giving him a sisterly peck on the cheek.

His eyes widened, then he smiled.

"It's no big deal," he murmured, blushing.

Artemis scowled.

"I can't believe Batman brought such a young kid into this," she huffed.

Wally frowned and looked up at her. "Dick brought himself into this life."

"Why?" Conner asked.

Kaldur moved over and silently drew a blanket up over Dick's body. The sleeping boy curled into its warmth.

"I was aware Robin was young. But this is…," he trailed off.

"He was nine when he started out. I was twelve, and Roy was fifteen. We were all just kids when we started out. But now…I don't know it's all so different. Before everything with Cadmus, he, Dick, and I were the troublesome trio. Kaldur came around sometimes, but that was only when Aquaman was on a mission with Bats or GR. Otherwise he just hung out in Atlantis or wherever Aquaman was at the time," Wally explained.

"And for that I am sorry my friend," he added, putting a hand on Wally's shoulder.

The redhead smiled.

"He gets nightmares a lot, but he'd been pretty good about them for a while, until…," he shrugged.

"That stupid training exercise!" M'gann whined, face palming

"It wasn't your fault," Wally added quickly.

She nodded, but the guilty look remained.

Wally moved his hand away from Dick's hair.

"But why would Batman put him through that if he knew how badly it would affect him?" Conner asked, sounding almost angry.

Wally shrugged. "That's my question. But I guess it's because he thought Dick would go through the whole thing thinking it was just an exercise. It's why he barely reacted when Batman was killed. It's not even what his nightmares were about. Honestly? They were probably about us. Once the four of us started dying…," he shook his head.

Dick whimpered and without, averting his attention from the others, Wally's hand shot back to its place smoothing back his hair. It was effective, as Dick quieted instantly.

"I'm so sorry," M'gann said.

"It _wasn't. Your. Fault!_ " Wally insisted. "I blame Batman. He never should've put any of us through this in the first place, _especially_ not him. He's got a _lot_ of apologizing to do when Dick sees him again.

Artemis piped up.

"Is there…anything we can do?"

He smiled. "The best thing you can do is be there for him. Try not to be too mushy, he hates that crap, but comfort him when he needs it. Talk to him if he's bottling it up. Oh, and if he gets angry, do some sparring. And look out, he's a biter," the teen chuckled to himself. "Right now though? We should probably just let him sleep."

They nodded and slowly trailed out of the room. As he always did, Wally stayed with Dick for a while before taking up residence on the floor beside his bed.

* * *

 **NIGHT TWO**

* * *

Wally was awoken by a thumping sound. He shot into a sitting position and saw Dick squirming.

"Aw crap," he muttered.

He zoomed over and assessed the situation.

The younger boy's face was contorted with fear, and he was sweating like crazy. The thumping had been the sound of him kicking the foot of the bed.

The last straw was the tiny, pitiful whimper he gave.

Wally grabbed his shoulders.

"Dick! Wake up, it's just a nightmare!" he ordered.

He steadied him when he sat bolt upright, bright blue eyes snapping open with a gasp.

Wally drew him into his arms and rocked him gently as he panted and shook.

"Shh…you're safe," he promised.

"It was so _real_ ," he whispered.

"I know, but it wasn't okay? I won't let anything happen to you," he mumbled.

He continued to soothe him before he hummed the opening notes of a song he knew by heart. He'd always heard Bruce sing to him whenever he slept over at Wayne Manor and Dick had a nightmare, so he figured he'd give it a shot.

 _'When you were standing in the wake of devastation, and you were waiting on the edge of the unknown. And with the cataclysm raining down, insides crying save me now, you were there impossibly alone.'_

Dick sobbed silently into his shoulder, his whole body shuddering with each breath.

 _'Do you feel cold, and lost and desperation? You build up hope, but failure's all you've known. Remember all the sadness and frustration, and let it go…let it go.'_

He hummed the instrumental break and Dick began to calm down, though the tears continued to spill soundlessly down his face.

 _'And in a burst of light that blinded every angel, as if the sky had blown the heavens into stars. And with the gravity of tempered grace, falling into empty space, no one there to catch you in their arms.'_

Dick sniffed and leaned heavily into Wally's chest, exhaustion setting in along with the sound of the older teen's voice.

 _'Do you feel cold, and lost and desperation? You build up hope, but failure's all you've known. Remember all the sadness and frustration, and let it go…let it go.'_

Artemis smiled as she silently leaned against the doorway. Dick's eyelids were drooping and he was struggling to stay awake.

 _'Do you feel cold, and lost and desperation? You build up hope, but failure's all you've known. Remember all the sadness and frustration, and let it go. Let it go, let it go…let it go…let it go.'_

Dick had fallen asleep, but Wally continued to sing.

 _'Do you feel cold, and lost and desperation? You build up hope, but failure's all you've known. Remember all the sadness and frustration, and let it go…let it go.'_

He fell silent, cradling the boy limply in his arms. He sighed and laid Dick down, gently wiping the tears off of his cheeks as he carefully tucked the blanket around him.

"Didn't know you were a Linkin Park fan Twinkle Toes," Artemis teased quietly.

He nearly jumped out of his skin, then recovered.

"I'll have you know they're a great band," he quipped indignantly. "Besides," he smiled, turning back to the boy on the bed and brushing the hair gently out of his face.

"Dick likes them."

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Disclaimer: Too fluffy!**

 **Me: Oh hush. Spitfire!**

 **Note: I highly recommend you check out the Young Justice Iridescent AMV thingy, uploaded by gtgrandom to YouTube. All of their stuff is great really.**

 **Song: Iridescent by Linkin Park**

 **-SWGJOC227**


	16. Chapter 16: Failsafe AU Part 2 (D)

Story 16: Failsafe AU Part 2

 _Arc Summary: A four part Failsafe AU detailing the week after the training simulation, which the entire team spends at the Cave. Mainly Dick centric._

 _Story Summary: Days 3 & 4 of the Failsafe AU (out of 7.) This time we get to see some daytime activity._

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **BFINAT: I do this because I love you. Also sorry for dying** _ **again**_ **I had stuff to do lmao.**

 **MusicLyric: Okay!**

* * *

 **Me: I've been listening to The Last Goodbye over and over again plis help me Billy Boyd is too good.**

 **Disclaimer: She's lost…I'm sorry guys. Oh, and she doesn't own anything either.**

* * *

 **DAY 3**

Dick sat curled on the couch again, this time watching cartoons. Wolf wandered over and nuzzled him.

"Hey buddy," he smiled at the animal.

Wolf whined, then jumped up on the couch and began licking his face, making him giggle.

"W-Wolf, cut it out!" he squealed.

The wolf flattened him with wet slobbery kisses. The others couldn't help but laugh along. After a while, Conner wiped a tear from his eyes.

"Alright Wolf, that's enough!" he chuckled.

When he climbed off of Dick, the Kryptonian could see the boy was still smiling.

He scratched his furry friend behind the ear. "Good boy," he whispered.

As he returned to work on his bike, Wally flopped down on the couch next to Dick in silence.

After a moment, Dick glanced at him. "Thanks. For last night, I mean."

"How much of that do you remember?" he inquired awkwardly.

"I remember you singing if that's what you mean," he replied. "You have a nice voice."

Wally blushed. "Thanks," he said sheepishly.

"Still needs work before you go big league though," he teased.

Wally elbowed him and he let out his signature cackle.

It seemed he was finally getting better.

* * *

 **NIGHT 3**

Wally awoke at the sound of footsteps. He rolled over towards Dick's bed, thinking he had gotten up. He was surprised to for once see him sleeping soundly, and the boy rolled over himself towards the other wall. He glanced toward the door and stood to investigate. He peered around the corner and saw a flash of dirty blonde hair disappear into the common room.

"Artemis?" he murmured quietly to himself.

He followed the retreating archer and found her sitting with her knees drawn to her chest on the couch. She wasn't crying, but he could tell he wanted to. She was silent and withdrawn.

"Arty?" he tried.

She jumped slightly.

"Hey Kid Mouth," she muttered.

"What's wrong? You okay?" he inquired with a concerned frown.

"Why do you care?" she scoffed, looking at him in the corner of her brown eyes as he moved around to sit next to her.

"Because you're my friend and I care about my friends," he replied.

"Well it's none of your business, so just leave me alone!" she growled.

He leaned forward and looked into her eyes, searching them for emotions. He smiled inwardly, realizing he already had her down to a tee.

"It wasn't your fault," he pointed out.

"How'd—"

"I've had a lot of practice with Dick," he answered smugly.

She snorted in amusement.

He deigned to reach out towards her, hesitated, and then let his hand fall onto her shoulder. He stiffened, then relaxed under his gentle touch.

"It really isn't your fault," he affirmed.

They were quiet for a moment.

"Heh, never thought I'd see this day," he chuckled awkwardly.

"What day?" she raised an eyebrow and let her legs fall to the floor, opening up more.

"The day you let me touch you without smacking me in the face or shooting me," he quipped.

She giggled, and he joined in.

They never spoke of the night again, but they sure as hell didn't forget.

* * *

 **DAY 4**

Dick wasn't at breakfast the following morning. This concerned Wally, as he'd been asleep all night and shouldn't need to sleep in. He wandered back to their room.

"Dick?" he tried.

The teen wasn't in his bed either.

He sighed and noticed that his pajamas had been strewn out on the floor and his day clothes were gone, meaning he'd already changed. His sunglasses were missing from his nightstand.

He moved over to the bed and picked up the blankets to search the bed. They were sweaty and messed up, hinting towards a dreaded nightmare.

"Guys!" he called.

"Wally?" Conner arched an eyebrow.

"Dick is gone. Have any of you seen him?" he asked.

"No," M'gann frowned. "We'll help you look."

* * *

"Dick! Where are you?" Wally shouted.

Artemis pressed the button to open the parking spot, and bit her lip when she found the bikes disturbed, one missing. "Wally! The R-Cycle is gone!"

Wally sighed and ran a hand through his unruly red hair.

"It's snowing outside! Who knows how long ago he left? He could be in trouble!" M'gann gasped.

"What was he thinking?" Artemis snapped.

"He wasn't," the speedster said solemnly, opening the ramp. He ran from the Cave. "Stay here!"

He followed the swiftly disappearing motorcycle tracks as the snow buried them, and he had to run at normal speeds to avoid slipping. He ran for hours, the snow blinding him.

"Dick!" he yelled as a loud clap of thunder and flash of lightning lit the sky.

He saw a glint of metal in the darkness of the gloomy morning. He squinted and withdrew his goggles. He used the infrared and trained his eyes on the spot. There was one cooler signature, heartstoppingly shaped like Dick's bike. There was a second heat signature, this one warmer but still pretty cold.

Except this one was moving.

"Dick!" he exclaimed, running through the snow and bursting through the trees.

"Shove off Wally!" he barked.

"What is your _problem_!?" he snapped.

"Just…just go away!"

Wally moved toward the heat signatures and frowned.

He came across a small clearing and noticed the bike had clearly been dragged and leaned against a tree. The front wheel had been ripped open and the glass mirrors had been shattered.

He looked around again and spotted his friend in a dark green hoodie. He was filthy and almost _completely_ _buried_ in snow _._ He had a nasty looking cut on his temple and another on his cheek, but the blood was being washed away by the vicious snow. His sunglasses were askew and cracked, and he looked all _kinds_ of bad, what with the injuries and his bruised, swollen ankle. Wally walked over to the hunched thirteen-year-old. His ebony haired friend had drawn his scraped knees up to his chest. His hoodie was torn on his elbows and his jeans torn at the knees, where his skin had been marred from the crash. He looked over at the bike again and noticed the small pieces of rock still embedded in the tire.

He remained as silent as the young hero next to him, the only sounds around them being the booming thunder and howling wind. The small boy was shivering violently in the freezing cold of the morning, his lips already beginning to turn blue. He was pale and shaky, and Wally began to feel uneasy. He couldn't afford to waste time.

"Dude, you need medical attention. You're in bad shape," he said quietly.

"I don't care," he mumbled.

"What's eating you Dickie-bird?" he asked softly. "It isn't guilt. I would know," he mused.

He took a close look at his eyes. His own emerald orbs widened.

Dick was…

He was _scared._

"What are you afraid of?" he inquired gently. He squatted down in front of him. He tilted his bruised chin up so the teen was looking into his eyes.

"It's stupid," he wrenched his face away.

Wally frowned, then it clicked.

"Dick, none of us are goin' anywhere. You know that, right?" he promised.

He was quiet.

Wally sighed and used a nearby branch to turn and face toward the bike, ignoring the cold feeling of the snow on his rear as he sat down. The snow hid the tears in Dick's pained blue eyes.

"You're gonna catch a cold," he pointed out in a monotone voice.

"I know."

Silence. The snow grew harsher, and both boys shivered.

"The others are probably worried."

"I know, Dick."

Another long pause.

"Why?" his voice broke.

"Because I care about you Dick."

"…"

"You wanna go home?"

The boy gave a small smile. "Yeah. Let's go."

* * *

 **NIGHT 4**

True to Dick's prediction, Wally had gotten sick from the cold. He rolled over and frowned as the older teen coughed and groaned.

Against orders, he climbed out of bed and put a hand on his feverish friend's head, petting his hair comfortingly.

Neither boy would admit it, but their bond was deeper than friendship. They were brothers in everything but blood.

And that thing that Wally always did to soothe him? He knew how to do it too.

Dick knew he was in trouble too, as his own temperature was rising, but he continued to soothe his older friend, even as his head began to pound.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: Why am I so evil?**

 **Disclaimer: ¯\\_(** **ツ** **)_/¯**

 **-SWGJOC227**


	17. Chapter 17: Failsafe AU Part 3 (D)

Story 17: Failsafe AU Part 3

 _Arc Summary: A four part Failsafe AU detailing the week after the training simulation, which the entire team spends at the Cave. Mainly Dick centric._

 _Story Summary: Days 5 & 6 of the Failsafe aftermath AU. Dick and Wally face the consequences of staying out in the cold._

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **BFINAT: OKAY! Jeeze. Calm yourself woman…er-I mean, um… (Please don't get triggered.)**

 **MusicLyric: It is here! Also (D) stands for Deviant, as in deviating from the storyline. (And thank you for the compliment {^_^})**

* * *

 **Me: WOOP! Spring bREAAAAK!**

 **Disclaimer: *scoots away* We own…nothing…*runs***

* * *

 **DAY 5**

Wally woke up late. He was miserable but forced himself to stand up. Dick was still curled in his bed, sound asleep. He looked peaceful, albeit a little pale and haggard.

He yawned and rubbed his eyes with the backs of his thumbs as he stumbled to the kitchen.

"Morning Wally," M'gann smiled. "You missed breakfast."

"I know, just direct me to the leftovers," he quipped in a nasally voice.

"Where's Dick?" Artemis inquired with a frown.

Wally shrugged. "Still sleeping. He _did_ look pretty bad last night."

She pursed her lips. The little acrobat was growing on her, even if he was a bit of a twit sometimes.

"Okay. But I'm waking him up at lunchtime. He needs to eat something," he decided.

Wally downed an entire bottle of aspirin. With his hyper metabolism, nothing less would help his headache.

"That's probably not even gonna help," he mused.

There was a pause, then the others chuckled and continued their various activities while Wally ate.

* * *

True to her word, Artemis went back to wake Dick up at noon for lunch.

"Hey Boy Wonder, you up yet?" she tried, knocking on his door.

No answer.

She sighed and pressed the button. The door hissed open and she was suddenly glad Wally had opted to leave it unlocked.

She moved over to the lump on his bed and gently shook the thirteen-year-old's shoulder.

"Dick, wake up," she murmured.

He made a whiny noise of protest and pulled the blanket over his head.

She huffed and put her hands on her hips.

"Really kid? This is how you want to play it? Okay," she settled. She took a hold of the bottom of the covers and ripped them away from him.

He made an even louder whine. "Go 'way!" he complained feebly.

"You've gotta get up ninja boy," she put her hands back on her hips.

"I don' wanna," he croaked, his sore throat evident in his voice.

"C'mon, we're making lunch. You need to get up and eat," she coaxed.

"Not hungry," he muttered, arm covering his eyes as he rolled onto his back.

She frowned. He looked _terrible_.

 _'Wally, can you come back to your room? I think there's something wrong.'_

Wally bit his lip at the message that came through the team's mental link. He was there in a flash, wind blowing her hair about.

"What's up?" he inquired worriedly.

"He's being a whiny _baby_ that's what's up," she joked, crossing her arms.

The dark-haired boy in question rolled over on his side and used his forearms to hide his face.

Wally sighed.

"C'mon Dickie-bird. Get up and face the music," he ordered.

"No!" he whined indignantly.

Wally rolled his eyes but pursed his lips in concern. He reached over and put his hand on Dick's forehead, which he found to be warm and sweaty.

"Ah Dickie," he sighed in exasperation. "Shoulda told me."

The younger coughed in response, then groaned.

"Better leave him in bed. Bring me a basin of water, cold water, and a rag. Oh, and I'll need the thermometer. He's got a fever something _fierce_ ," he told her, sitting down next to the sick boy.

"Hey Twinkle Toes, need I point out _you're sick too,_ " she prodded.

"Not as bad as him," he refuted.

She shrugged and went to retrieve what he'd asked for.

"Were you up at all last night?" he asked.

Dick grimaced, and Wally rolled his eyes knowingly.

"What were you doing?" he asked, checking Dick's breathing.

"J-just making sure you were okay," he rasped.

Wally let out a frustrated sigh. "That's not your job bro."

Dick's face twisted in annoyance. "And it's yours to make sure _I_ am?"

Wally frowned.

"You take care uh me all the time and I never have to take care uh you 'cause you act like such a tough guy. Well guess what Wall? You're a human being too. You can get hurt, an' you can make mistakes," he rambled.

The speedster's eyes widened. "Oh Dickie, I'm sorry…I didn't mean to—"

"Well you _did_ ," he barked, then coughed and groaned.

Wally sighed and smoothed Dick's hair back. "I'm sorry Dick. I won't do it again. Next time I get my ass kicked, you can take care of me okay? And I'll try to treat you less like a child."

"No. I appreciate that you treat me like a kid. Because unlike Bats you do it right," he snorted, then coughed again.

Artemis came in then with the requested supplies and set the water next to the bed on the nightstand. Wally snatched the rag from the side of the bin and soaked it in the ice cold water. He wringed it out and draped it over his forehead. He then gently took the thermometer and slipped it under Dick's tongue.

He held his "little brother's" hand as they waited, and Dick's dulled blue eyes twinkled in the light from the room. He was clearly in agony, but he was—as always—hiding it.

 _Beep beep beep!_

Wally checked the thermometer. "A hundred and three. And a half. Say ah."

He complied and Wally used a small penlight to shine down his throat.

"Red as a strawberry," he affirmed. "Looks like strep kiddo."

"Ugh," he grunted.

"We should probably call Bats and—"

"No!" he gasped.

"Dick, you need a doctor," he pursed his lips.

"No Bats," he whimpered pitifully.

Wally rolled his eyes. "Okay. But at least let me call Leslie," he begged.

"Fine," he breathed, eyes beginning to glaze over.

"Artemis, keep him cool. Bring in some snow and pack it around his neck and chest. His fever gets any higher he'll start seizing and I don't think he could handle that," he ordered.

For once, she didn't protest. "Right. H-he'll be okay, you're positive?"

He nodded as he pulled out his cellphone.

"Leslie," he greeted.

 _'Wallace West what have you done to that boy now?'_

"Ah, c'mon Leslie it's not _always_ my fault," he settled with a chuckle. She always knew.

 _'Doesn't matter, what happened?'_

"He looks like he's got strep and a sprained ankle, maybe a concussion too," he answered.

 _'How'd he manage_ _ **that**_ _combination?'_

"He crashed his bike and got stuck out in the snow for a few hours. Both of us are sick but he's so much worse," he replied. "He refuses to let me call Bats."

 _'Send someone over to pick me up and I'll come take a look.'_

He bit his lip. "He won't be happy about that."

 _'I can't prescribe medication without a thorough examination Wally, you know that. In case you were right though, I'll bring my antibiotics.'_

"See you soon then Leslie," he hung up.

* * *

Leslie removed the stethoscope from her ears.

"You might have a future in medicine Mister West. You _were_ right. Strep throat," she diagnosed.

"What do you need me to do?" he inquired.

" _You_ my friend need to _rest_ ," she put her fists on her hips. "I want to check you out too."

His eyes widened at the finger she pointed at his bed. "What?! But—"

"No buts mister. Bed!"

* * *

Wally scowled.

"Thith ith rediculuth," he mumbled around the thermometer.

"Hush Kid," she reprimanded gently.

He huffed and crossed his arms indignantly.

She looked at the device when it beeped and clicked her tongue.

"A hundred and one. Wallace West, you are officially _grounded,"_ she smirked.

He paled. "What?"

"You're sick. Flu, I'd wager. Open up," she told him.

He complied, and she shined her penlight down his throat.

"Hmm…looks healthy…is it sore?" she asked.

"Not really," he admitted resignedly. "A little dry."

"Are you nauseous at all?" she asked.

"Ah…kinda," he caved.

"Do you have a headache?" she put her hand on his wrist to check his pulse.

He nodded.

"Runny nose?" she continued.

"Stuffy," he answered.

"Definitely the flu," she decided.

"How can you be sure?" he asked her.

"I'll run some nasal tests if you want to argue over it?" she arched an eyebrow.

"Er…no, I won't argue," he waved both his hands in a panic. He _hated_ nasal tests. They tickled and they itched and it was _awful_.

"Good. Now, I want both of you to _rest_ at least until morning," she waggled her finger.

Dick simply grunted and rolled over so his back was facing the wall, wet cloth rolling off his forehead.

She narrowed her eyes at the previously silent Wally, making him squirm.

"Yes ma'am," he agreed.

"Now then! Dick, sit up. We need to try to get some food in you before you get to sleep," she turned.

"Don' w'nna," he moaned.

"Too bad Boy Wonder. Artemis, bring me a bowl of soup. Nothing too chewy or rough on the throat, and some warm tea, preferably licorice root if you can find any," she told her.

"On it," the archer moved swiftly.

Leslie replaced the rag on Dick's forehead, dabbing it gently.

"That was a really _stupid_ move going out in the snow like that," she chided gently, brushing the hair from his forehead where it had been plastered by sweat.

"Mmhm," he hummed exhaustedly.

"Bruce is going to be pissed when he finds out you kept this from him," she continued.

"I kn'w," he murmured.

Leslie rolled her eyes and smirked at him

His tired blue eyes bore into her soul. It was one of the many reasons she loved treating him when he was hurt or sick. The boy was truly special. Special to her, to Bruce, to his friends…

Just special.

* * *

 **NIGHT 5**

Wally retched again, emptying the contents of his stomach into the toilet. M'gann gently rubbed his back. He'd been here for ten minutes. He was surprised he even had anything left to throw up.

Then it turned to dry heaves.

Finally, he was able to collapse back against the Martian, shaky and weak from the effort.

"You're okay," she soothed as he panted heavily.

"Th-thank you," he huffed, dizzy.

"Wally!" Artemis' voice floated in from their bedroom.

M'gann gasped as the teen vanished in a whoosh of air.

Dick was panicking, delirious from the fever and flailing his arms.

Wally caught his wrists.

"Shh, it's me Dickie-bird. Just me," he whispered.

He let his arms fall limp and coughed. He too was panting heavily. Wally felt his forehead, and he could already tell his fever had spiked.

"We need to get him cooler," he sighed.

"God…it's only eight thirty," Artemis groaned.

"Don't worry. He'll live," he smiled at her, a rare occurrence.

She nodded and ran from the room.

A few minutes later, Wally felt the room temperature drop and realized they'd shut off the heat.

He grinned and looked down at his charge.

"You're gonna be fine bro," he murmured, kissing his forehead affectionately.

* * *

 **DAY 6**

Wally woke feeling _much_ better than the night before. He could tell his stomach had settled. He rolled over with a contented sigh and looked over to Dick's bed.

The younger boy was asleep, cheeks still flushed but nowhere near as pale as before. He looked pretty comfortable, and Wally was relieved to find his forehead relatively cool—his fever had dropped.

He left the room and glanced at a wall clock to find it was already nine. Artemis was making eggs in the kitchen while the others milled about the common room.

"Morning Baywatch," she quipped.

"Morning Sharpshot," he replied, stretching his arms.

For the most part it seemed their week together was working in terms of recovering from the simulation. Mentally anyway, what with the two sick boys and all. Their relationships had been strengthened.

"No Dick this morning?" M'gann frowned. She'd been hoping to see the young acrobat feeling better.

"He's still a little bit out of it. I have orders to wake him up for lunch though," he smirked.

They chuckled quietly and resumed their activities.

* * *

As it happened, Dick woke up on his own and shuffled into the living room, then promptly collapsed on the couch.

After a quick bite to eat, warm chicken noodle soup that wouldn't hurt his throat, Wally made him down his cup of antibiotic syrup.

"Ugh," he grunted as he swallowed. "That stuff _sucks_."

"Hush. I know it tastes bad but you've got to take it if you want to feel better," the speedster pointed out.

He groaned and flopped back on the couch cushions.

He was asleep a minute later, and remained that way until dinner.

* * *

 **NIGHT 6**

Artemis was watching Wally struggle to get a sleepy Dick to his room with amusement, though she quickly grew bored of it and moved to help. The two practically _dragged_ the boy to his bed where he seemed to pass out the second his head hit the pillow.

"Thanks Artemis. He can be a real pain in the ass sometimes," he sighed.

"No problem," she shrugged. "You know, you two are lucky to have each other."

"How do you mean?" his brow furrowed.

"It's just…he's always so quiet and withdrawn unless you're around. You can get him to do whatever you want without even trying, even if he is a little whiny about it. And on the other side of it, he's like your rock, ya know? Keeps you grounded, I guess. You're basically brothers," she responded.

He smiled wistfully.

"You're being oddly nice to me," he raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, well don't get used to it Twinkle Toes," she grinned, then shifted her eyes away. "I'm…gonna go to bed. See ya."

"Yeah," he replied.

She strode out of the room briskly, leaving both of them blushing furiously.

Dick's mouth twitched up at the corner of his lips.

"Go to sleep you little troll," Wally snapped.

He heard the wily teen giggle softly.

He hated it when Dick did that.

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: SPITFIRE! Imeanwhat.**

 **Disclaimer: You ship it way too hard.**

 **Me: It is so hard to write scenes where Wally and Dick are intimate without it being slash. Also yes I do.**

 **-SWGJOC227**


	18. Chapter 18: Failsafe AU P4 (FINALE!)(D)

Story 18: Failsafe AU Part 4

 _Arc Summary: A four part Failsafe AU detailing the week after the training simulation, which the entire team spends at the Cave. Mainly Dick centric._

 _Story Summary: Day 7 of the Failsafe AU. (Finale!) Dick talks to the Team about his past._

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **BFINAT: Oh good. I trigger way too many people. Also thank you! ^_^ I'll try not to die again but no promises—spring break only lasts a few more days!**

* * *

 **Me: Yay fast updates!**

 **Disclaimer: Finally. You've been so inconsistent**

 **Me: Well school is hard okay?!**

 **Disclaimer: We own nothing.**

* * *

 **DAY 7**

Wally yawned and rolled out of bed. He looked over to Dick's bed only to find it empty. He frowned and ventured out to the common room, where he was relieved to find his missing friend watching cartoons on the couch. He flopped down next to them, and the two were quiet for a moment.

Wally took this chance to look him over. His face was mostly normal in color, rather than pale as it had been. His cheeks were still flushed, but he wasn't sweating anymore and he seemed to be breathing much better than before. His hair was an unruly black mess, but his eyes were bright, if a little tired.

Suddenly, he spoke.

"I wanna tell 'em," he murmured quietly, voice rough and gravelly from being sick and coughing.

The speedster's eyebrow arched.

"Tell them what?" he inquired, though he was pretty sure he already knew.

"Everything," Dick affirmed.

"Now?" he asked uncertainly, not sure if he was physically or emotionally ready.

Dick paused, then nodded.

Wally reached over and switched the television off.

"Okay. But I'm stopping you if _anything_ happens, okay? I'll be right here," he promised, rubbing his arm.

The younger boy nodded again.

"Guys, can you come out here?" he called.

The others gave looks of confusion, but complied.

"I need to talk to you," Dick added as they sat down.

"Is something wrong?" M'gann gasped. "Are you dying?"

The two teens laughed.

"No, I'm okay. Well, semi-okay but that's not the point," he answered.

"What _is_ the point then?" Artemis crossed her arms.

"I figure I owe you all this much. My name is Richard John Grayson. Today, I'll be telling you all who I _really_ am under those stupid shades."

* * *

 **(The whole backstory is kind of played like a cinematic, so the scene will fade as he talks or cut from one scene to another. I'll tell you when it's happening.)**

* * *

"When I was a kid, I was an acrobat for Haly's circus with my parents. They called us "The Flying Graysons." It was really the life…until the circus came to Gotham."

 **(The scene fades to the circus)**

* * *

Dick giggled as Sitka, one of the elephants, nuzzled him with her trunk.

"That tickles!" he squealed.

 **(Voice over is in** _ **italics**_ **)**

 _"I was having some fun with one of the elephants, but then I heard shouting and went to investigate."_

Dick froze when the door to Haly's trailer banged open.

"Get your filthy butt out of here! I don't need your kinda _protection!_ " Haly snapped as an intimidating man in a suit was shoved out.

"Alright! But just remember Jack, accidents _do_ happen!"

* * *

 **(Scene cuts to the Team)**

* * *

Artemis and Kaldur fought the bile rising in their throats. M'gann and Conner were newer to Earth, and while they were pretty experienced, the threat escaped their understanding. But the archer and Atlantean caught it, and the knot of dread in both their stomachs tightened. They glanced at each other but remained silent.

* * *

 **(Scene fades back to the circus as he talks)**

* * *

"I didn't quite get it at the time—I was too young and naïve to criminal threats. But I could tell by the way Jack yelled at him, the way he was _standing_ that the guy was _bad news_."

The man stalked up to Dick, sizing him up the way a lion would a piece of meat before devouring it.

"Cute kid Jack," he smirked around his cigar. He gripped the boy's shoulder. "Wouldn't want anything _bad_ to happen to him, now would we?"

Dick yelped when the man's hold tightened into a white-knuckled grip, hurting his shoulder.

The ringleader's eyes widened and he reached out and pulled the young acrobat away.

"I advise you get off the property before I call the police, Mr. Zucco," he huffed, hugging Dick closely.

The man scowled but complied.

* * *

 **(Scene fades to Dick [present day])**

* * *

"I really didn't think much of it. I figured Jack had scared him off for good. I was wrong. That night, during our act…"

* * *

 **(Scene fades to the circus)**

* * *

"Come on Dickie, hurry up! It's almost showtime!" Mary urged.

"I'm going as fast as I can Mamica!" he giggled.

His father noogied him. "You look great in your new costume, Dickie-bird."

"Thanks Tati," he smiled broadly.

They heard Jack announce the attendance of a man, a billionaire apparently, named Bruce Wayne. Then…

"I present to you, The Flying Graysons!"

"We're on! Come on, little Robin," his mother held out her hand.

* * *

 **(Scene jumpcuts to the Team)**

* * *

"Wait, Robin?" Superboy looked confused.

"It's how I named myself. See, my suit is mainly made of parts of my old costume. My mother always told me I reminded her of a little robin when we did our act, what with the bright red colors and flying through the air," he explained.

"Oh," he frowned.

"Anyway, we went out into the ring, and there was a guy working with some equipment…"

* * *

 **(Scene fades to the circus)**

* * *

Dick grunted as the man bumped into him on the way out. He caught a brief glimpse of his face…

"Hey, that's the guy that—," he began, pointing.

"Come on Dickie, let's go," John ushered him along.

Dick waited on the platform for his parents to finish their tandem act before they would swing back to pick him up.

He noticed the wire too late.

"Dad!" he cried.

The wire snapped.

* * *

 **(Scene cuts to the Team)**

* * *

M'gann gasped in horror, her hands flying up to cover her mouth.

Wally rubbed his shoulder as he fought to hold back tears from his misty eyes.

"That's…that's hardcore," Conner stated bluntly.

Artemis elbowed him. "Not the time!" she hissed.

"I knew you had lost your parents, but never in a million years did I think—," Kaldur cut himself off and pursed his lips. "I am truly sorry my friend."

Dick shrugged. "That was years ago. It doesn't matter now. But I'm not done yet, so listen."

* * *

 **(Scene fades to the circus as he talks)**

* * *

"Bruce—Batman, if you hadn't figured it out by now—was in the audience that night. He saw me by the bodies, and I guess…I guess he saw himself in me."

Bruce frowned and moved over to Jim Gordon.

"What's going to happen to him?" he asked quietly.

"He'll be sent to the orphanage. The state doesn't think this is the right environment to be raised in. Too dangerous, not enough education, unstable finances, you know the drill. If you ask me, it sounds like a load of horseshit," he answered, then looked over at the nine-year-old kneeling beside the bodies of his parents, which were covered in yellow blankets. For a fraction of a second, the world around them became Gotham Cemetery. Dick wasn't kneeling beside two bodies, but between two gravestones. His blue eyes were Bruce's teal.

"I'd like to help him," he made up his mind.

"Take him in?" Gordon's eyes widened.

"As a ward," he replied. To adopt the boy might seem as though he were trying to replace his parents.

"That's fantastic Bruce!" he smiled, patting the younger man on the back.

"What's his name?" he asked.

"Richard. Dick Grayson," he clarified. "But uh, the ringmaster's the one who told me. Poor kid's clammed up."

Bruce walked over and squatted in front of the child.

"Dick?" he tried.

There was silence, and he sighed.

"My name is Bruce, and I'm here to help you," he continued.

The boy muttered a few incoherent words in what sounded like Romani, eyes averted to the ground.

"You're going to some stay with me. Would you like that?" he murmured.

All of a sudden, the small acrobat barreled into him, sobbing uncontrollably into his chest.

He was momentarily stunned, but recovered quickly and wrapped his arms around him.

"Shh…," he hushed. "You're okay now. Can you do something for me?"

He felt Dick nod.

"I need you to tell Mister Gordon over there what happened, okay?" he requested.

"I want Sitka!" he demanded.

"Sitka?" Bruce's brow furrowed.

"She's one of our elephants. They're practically best friends," a nearby performer added helpfully.

Bruce smiled. "I suppose we can arrange that."

* * *

 **(Cut to Team)**

* * *

"Wait wait wait…you wanted the _elephant_?" Conner snorted, earning a smack from Artemis.

Dick blushed and chuckled. "In my defense I loved that elephant like a puppy. Mainly because I couldn't have one. Anyway."

* * *

 **(Cut back to circus)**

* * *

Dick hugged Sitka's trunk and she nuzzled him.

"Okay son, what happened?" Jim asked, kneeling so he was at his eye level.

He hid half his face behind the elephant's huge neck.

"Someone messed up the equipment."

Bruce and Jim's eyes widened.

"Bring the ringleader in here," the commissioner ordered one of the officers.

Jack Haly came in a few minutes later, squatting next to Dick and putting a hand on his shoulder.

"How're you holding up Dickie?" he inquired quietly.

"I'm okay Mister Haly," he murmured.

Lie.

"That's good," he smiled warmly, then straightened to talk with Jim.

"He said someone tampered with the equipment sir," he explained.

Bruce knelt by Dick as they talked.

"I'm inclined to agree with you Kim. I looked at those trapeze wires this morning. All of them were in tip top shape. Now, looks like someone sawed through them with a knife," he nodded.

"Do you know who?" he arched an eyebrow.

Haly opened his mouth to reply, but Dick, who'd been eavesdropping, cut him off.

"It was that man Mister Haly!"

Jack frowned. "What man?"

"The guy you kicked out! He was in the tent, right before…," he trailed off.

* * *

 **(Cut to Team)**

* * *

"After that, they investigated everything, even questioned Zucco and his brothers. But there wasn't enough evidence to put him away, even with my statement and Jack's. Without a confession…," he shrugged.

"He went free," Artemis finished.

He nodded.

* * *

 **(Scene fades to Wayne Manor, cue clips of his first weeks at the manor.)**

* * *

 _"Bruce was nothing but nice to me. He gave me a huge room with a painting of my mom and dad hanging over the fireplace, and Alfred was pretty much the best butler ever. But I started to notice there was something…off about everything. Bruce never showed to dinner, didn't play when I asked. He was always working, whether it be for one profession or the other. I didn't find out he was Batman until later. Eventually I got tired of the waiting. I went after Zucco but…well, let's just say I wasn't quite the fighter I am now."_

* * *

 **(Scene fades to a ratty abandoned building)**

* * *

Dick grunted.

"Who the hell do you think you are you little punk?!"

The thug, who was nursing a bitten thumb, flattened him with another left hook. Before he could do any more damage though, a black shadow crashed through the window and made quick work of the small group of thieves Dick had wandered into.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a gruff voice.

"Whoa! You're the Batman!" he squeaked.

Taking it as a yes, he continued.

"Come on kid, let's get you home," he growled.

The ride was short, but Dick realized he wasn't going where he thought he would be.

"But I don't live—"

Dick fell silent as the Batmobile's hatch opened and he took in his surroundings.

"Cool…," he sighed dreamily.

The Batman moved in front of him and glared, making him squirm uncomfortably.

Then he pulled back the cowl.

Dick gasped. "You're—"

"Yes, I am. And _you_ are a _fool!_ What were you _thinking_ going out there by yourself!?" Bruce snapped.

* * *

 **(Cut to Team)**

* * *

Conner choked back a laugh.

"What?" Dick folded his arms.

"It's just…the thought of _you_ —the Boy Wonder—getting your ass handed to you by a few petty thieves!" he snorted.

Dick blushed, and everyone giggled.

"Hey, _you_ try going up against a group of armed dudes with almost no warning and zero combat training and see how _you_ do!" he retorted.

They just gave him a look.

* * *

 **(Scene fades to Batcave as he talks)**

* * *

"Whatever. After that, I _begged_ Bruce to let me help him on the case but he flat out refused. Instead, I started training on my own. He finally got a lead, and it was the day before the circus left town. Zucco was at the tent. But he didn't come back for quite a while and we didn't hear anything. I got worried, so…"

Dick rummaged around the Batcave. He withdrew his old costume from a drawer, fingers tracing over the sewn in R. He then donned it and snatched a two sided, black and yellow cloth and tied it around his neck like a cape. He grabbed an old domino mask that Bruce kept around the Cave.

Then, he stole the BatBike and sped off.

* * *

 **(Cut to Team)**

* * *

"Hold up, you _stole_ the Batman's motorcycle?!" Artemis exclaimed.

He nodded.

"Dude, that takes _guts,_ " she praised.

He shrugged.

* * *

 **(Scene fades to circus as he talks)**

* * *

"After I got suited up, I headed out to the circus. Turns out I was right. The Bat _was_ in trouble…"

Dick crept through the rafters. He tuned out Zucco's life story until Bruce spoke.

"Why'd you give up such a promising career?"

"Well, one day…," Zucco paused, picking up another knife. He turned it over in his hand, and Dick held a Batarang ready over a rope holding a sandbag.

"I missed," he smirked, then whirled and threw the knife, aiming at Batman's face.

Dick sliced through the rope, and the bag took the blow.

Before Zucco could discern where it had come from, Dick dropped down and kicked him in the face.

Batman's eyes widened behind the cowl as Dick took his position, but he said nothing.

"So, the Bats' got family too," Zucco grinned. "Payback t—"

He grunted as Dick jumped up and bounced off his shoulder. He flipped and landed behind him. He turned and scowled at the boy.

"Didn't your parents evah teach you any manners?" he flexed his jaw in annoyance.

Dick growled angrily and jumped at him in rage. Batman had begun to whittle away at the ropes using the knives above his wrists.

Zucco dodged and grabbed Dick by the cape. The boy gasped as he yanked him around and slammed him into the ground.

Dick stood, stunned. Before he could reorient himself, Zucco struck him with a bowling pin, momentarily knocking him out cold.

"I watched you take down my brothers Batman…now it's _your turn_ to watch," he snarled, raising the pin above his head.

* * *

 **(Cut to Team)**

* * *

M'gann gasped.

"I know you're okay, but…," Artemis frowned, trailing off.

"Yeah," Dick nodded.

Kaldur gripped his bicep comfortingly and the younger teen smiled gratefully.

* * *

 **(Scene fades back to the circus as he talks)**

* * *

"If it weren't for Bats, I would have been done for…"

Batman's bindings snapped and he dove forward, kicking Zucco away from Dick's prone form.

The boy groaned and stood, rubbing his head before taking his place next to Batman.

Zucco swallowed and whimpered, backing away in fear. He climbed up the trapeze and Batman followed quickly.

In a panic, the man fell.

There was a moment where Dick considered letting him go. It would have been poetic justice. But he'd also be sinking to his level.

Dick jumped and latched his grappling hook to the wooden beams supporting the ceiling. He grunted as he caught Zucco by the collar and dropped him on the other platform, where he promptly fainted.

* * *

 **(Cut to Team)**

* * *

M'gann giggled.

"He deserved that," Conner chuckled.

* * *

 **(Cut to circus)**

* * *

Dick stood next to Batman by the fence on the outside of the circus grounds as they watched Zucco get pushed into a squad car. Bruce had left enough evidence there to put him away for a long time.

"Nice save. But I thought you wanted Zucco to get what was coming to him?" Batman inquired.

"Well, he _did_ , didn't he? Justice," the boy responded.

They were silent for a moment.

"You know Dick, I'm not sure Bruce Wayne has what it takes to raise you properly," he joked.

Dick smiled. "Yeah. I kinda noticed he's never around. But if not Bruce Wayne, how 'bout the Batman?"

Bruce paused, then looked to the scene below them. "We'd have to give you a name," he caved.

Dick looked down at the R on his suit and thought of his mother.

"How about…Robin?'

"Like the bird?"

"It's a family name."

Dick put his foot up on the fence as their caped billowed in the wind.

* * *

 **(Fade to the Team)**

* * *

They all sat in shock.

"That was…," Artemis couldn't finish.

"Incredible," Kaldur breathed.

Dick released the air he'd been holding in a loud sigh. Wally rubbed his shoulder.

"You need a minute?" he asked.

He nodded and Wally helped him to his feet. He wandered away to take a breather.

"My God…," Artemis murmured. "And I though _my_ childhood had issues."

"I remembered reading about crime in Gotham but I never thought anyone could be so cruel," M'gann held back tears.

Conner and Kaldur nodded. Neither had ever heard of such a terrible crime in Gotham…not even with all the crimes they _had_ heard of.

"He didn't tell me until he was eleven. He had been sleeping over at my place and had a nightmare. He kind of…gushed his life story to me then passed out again. He'd been _mortified_ the next morning," Wally smiled wistfully. "Since then, Roy has been the only other person to know…until now, I guess."

"That poor boy," M'gann frowned at the thirteen-year-old.

"Don't pity him. He hates being pitied. But you _can_ be there for him if he has nightmares, or on the anniversary of that day…which is June 10th by the way," he added.

"I'd been waiting for this day to tell you all this, but Roy and I made this pact a long time ago…the premise of it was mainly to protect him, but morphed into protecting each other after he found out about it. I…wanted to ask you all to join it," he explained.

They all looked at each other.

"I'm down," Artemis said with a shrug, extending her hand.

M'gann smiled. "Me too," she placed her own hand on top of Artemis'.

Conner said nothing, but put his hand on M'gann's.

Kaldur and Wally smirked, then added their hands too.

"By making this pact, you all solemnly swear to protect not only Richard Grayson, but also each other with your lives. You also agree never to hurt one another, emotionally, mentally, or physically," he said quietly. "Do you understand?"

They all nodded.

"Then welcome to the pact."

* * *

 **NIGHT 7**

Dick and Wally sat outside in the snow again, but this time both of them were heavily dressed in parkas and snow pants.

Dick was resting against Wally's shoulder, tears steadily streaming down his cheeks, freezing to his face in silence. Wally simply wrapped his arm around his shoulders and remained quiet.

As Dick began to fall asleep, Wally heard him whisper to him.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome Dickie."

* * *

 **(Closing Credits Song: Heal-Tom Odell.)**

* * *

 **A/N**

 **Me: Ugh finally I can go back to the AU!**

 **Disclaimer: And handbells!**

 **Me: O no.**

 **-SWGJOC227**


	19. Chapter 19: A Death in the Family

Story 19: A Death in the Family

 _ **Summary: Dick comes to the Cave with some bad news.**_

 _ **Angst/Hurt/Comfort, T**_

* * *

 _ **Ages:**_

 _ **Dick-17, Wally-19, Artemis-18, Kaldur-20, Sadie & Ace-8, Garth & Tula-20, Rocket & Zatanna-18, Conner-19, M'gann-18, Tim-13, Jason (DECEASED)-14**_

* * *

 **Reviews**

 **BFINAT: It's okay. I'm hyper _all_ the time!**

* * *

 **Me: Oh God we're doing this aren't we.**

 **Disclaimer: Yep.**

 **Me: OH GOD!**

 **Disclaimer: We own nothing!**

* * *

Wally chewed his lip. Dick was supposed to have arrived at the Cave about four hours ago with Jason to train with Black Canary. Though he was seventeen and had a life of his own, he at least expected his friend to keep up with a schedule.

 _Recognized: Nightwing. B0-1._

"Finally! Do you have _any_ idea how—"

Wally cut himself off.

Dick's mask had been abandoned. He was still in his street clothes, a leather jacket and jeans. His hair was a _mess_ , and he looked exhausted. Fresh tear tracks stained his cheeks.

"Dick?" he tried quietly.

He zoomed forward as his knees suddenly buckled and Dick fell. He caught him in his arms and lowered him to a kneeling position slowly. He scowled at the smell of alcohol on his breath and his clothes.

"You're drunk," he pointed out, though he kept the anger out of his voice. Dick didn't drink…even if he _was_ under aged, he stayed away from beer.

He was silent. The others were standing nearby, all equally quiet. M'gann's hands were over her mouth, her eyes wide in surprise.

"What happened?" he murmured softly, holding him closely.

"He's dead," he muttered. "That stupid fucking clown."

Wally hugged him tighter.

"My baby brother's _dead_ ," he began to cry again.

The speedster hushed him soothingly.

"It's okay, you're okay," he whispered.

Conner moved first. He walked forward and reached out, hesitated, then rested a hand on Dick's back, rubbing it gently.

Wally rocked him back and forth, one hand on his shoulders, the other on the back of his head, fingers intertwined in his charcoal hair.

After a moment, the girls—minus Tula—moved over to help.

Kaldur, Garth, and Tula stood nearby watching.

Zatanna gave Wally a look and he handed the sobbing teen to his girlfriend, who continued the gentle rocking motion. She began to sing quietly.

 _'Short steps, deep breath, everything is alright. Chin up, I can't, step into the spotlight. She said, "I'm sad," somehow without any words. And I just, stood there, searching for an answer.'_

Dick's sobbing turned into shuddering, teary breathing.

 _'When this world is no, more, the moon is all we'll see. I'll ask you to fly away with me. Until the stars all fall down, they empty from the sky, but I don't mind. If you're with me, then everything's alright.'_ **(** **1)**

If there was more to the lullaby, they didn't hear it. The seventeen-year-old had fallen limp in her arms. She continued rocking him, turning him over so he was being cradled in her arms like a baby. She put a hand on his cheek and kissed his forehead.

Black Canary came in from the gym and her eyes widened briefly.

"Is he—"

"Drunk?" Wally tried.

She nodded.

"Yes. Very much so," he finished.

She sighed. "I suppose he has every right. I just got the word. Jason Tod was murdered by the Joker less than six hours ago," she informed them silently.

Several Team members gasped. M'gann began to cry, and Zatanna hugged her sleeping boyfriend closer.

Wally sighed, face burning with rage. How much more loss would Dick suffer? He'd never done anything to deserve any of this. He'd lost so much already. He silently cursed whatever strange malediction had been placed on his friend that caused disaster to follow him and those he loved wherever they went.

"Let's get him to a bed and call Batman. He's the one who called. He's been worried sick," Dinah suggested.

Zatanna helped carry him over to the couch, where they laid him down and put a blanket over him.

Wally called Bruce.

 _"Wally? What do you want? I'm a little—"_

Unlike Dick, Bruce clearly hadn't resorted to drinking. However, the two shared one thing in common—neither drank. Well, _most_ of the time. But he did sound tired as hell.

"Dick's at the Cave. He's drunk off his ass and he needs a pickup," he cut him off.

 _"…I'm on my way."_

* * *

True to his word, the Batman showed up at the Cave ten minutes later.

He walked briskly over to the couch and put a hand on Dick's shoulder.

"Come on Richard, it's time to go," he said sternly.

The teen opened his eyes sleepily, then extended his arms, clearly wanting to be picked up.

The Team were expecting a scolding, but jaws dropped when Batman scooped him up in his arms like a child.

"You're getting too old for this Dickie," he whispered.

"Hmm," he murmured lazily.

They were gone in a swish of Bruce's cape, zeta tubes announcing their departure.

* * *

Alfred sighed. The past week had been hard for them. Funeral arrangements were being made and Bruce was never around. Then again, when was he _ever_ around?

Dick had withdrawn, clammed up. He hadn't uttered a word since that night.

Alfred walked over with a plate of food.

"Your lunch, Master Dick," he said.

He lifted his head from where it'd been tucked between his knees. He reached over and pushed the plate away. The butler huffed at the now familiar sound of a plate sliding across a table.

" _Really_ Master Richard, you _must_ eat something. I don't mean to be harsh, but Master Bruce and I have too many _other_ problems at the moment and I simply don't have the time to _force feed_ you," he reprimanded.

Dick turned his face away. Sadie, who was lying next to him, whined.

"Master Richard, all due respect, but you are being more childish now than you were at nine," he scolded.

"Piss off Alfie," he muttered, voice hoarse from lack of use.

"Ah, he speaks," he mused.

"Just leave me alone," he whined.

"I shall leave you alone when you eat your lunch," he decided.

"Not hungry," he murmured.

Alfred shrugged and sat down on the couch next to him.

The young hero gave him a dirty look, but begrudgingly ate the beef stroganoff he'd prepared, which was his favorite dish.

When his plate was empty, Alfred began to get up.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

The old man smiled. "It's alright sir."

"Stay?" he begged.

"As you wish sir," he put a gentle hand on Dick's back.

After a few quiet minutes, Dick shifted.

"I promised him I'd protect him," he choked out.

"It wasn't your fault Richard. You were in Blüdhaven, you couldn't have known," he assured him.

"Well I should've!" he exclaimed suddenly, standing. He ran a hand through his mop of ebony hair. "I…I should've helped him!"

His voice cracked at the last sentence, and tears began to stream down his face.

Alfred wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close.

 _"I should've been there."_

Alfred held him while he sobbed, and Dick hugged him tightly.

He mentally smacked Bruce on the back of the head for not being here and hoped his friend got the message.

* * *

The funeral was not a grand procession. Jason died and no one knew what he'd done. No one knew how many people he'd saved. They just thought they were attending the funeral of a small, insignificant, young boy who'd been mutilated and killed by the Joker.

But his friends knew the truth. They looked on silently as they lowered the coffin into the ground. Dick delivered the eulogy. Jason didn't have a will, but he'd always told Dick he'd want him to do it. He'd never liked to talk about it.

"Jason Todd was always brave. He remained that way until the end. He died with honor, and with dignity. He faced death, and while he lost this fight, he will live on in our hearts as the humble, fearless boy we knew. Nothing more, nothing less. As Bruce Wayne's wards, he and I knew each other, and both of us were close. One could say we were like brothers. The two of us used to jokingly speak about this situation. He told me once that he would want to be remembered as something more than just some kid. He wanted to _do_ something. So, in his name, Bruce and I are donating one million dollars to four separate charities across the world," he rambled.

The attendees clapped, though their faces reflected that they _did_ feel bad to some capacity.

"With that aside, I would like to dispel some rumors. Jason was _not_ some snobby rich kid who thought he was better than everyone else. He was a kind and compassionate young boy who believed the world could be a better place if everyone was humble and cared about one another. He may have been rich, but in his heart he was still the same boy Bruce pulled off the streets who had to scrounge for food and still gave some of it away to those who needed it. He was the most generous teenager I have ever met. He was better than me in every way, I'll admit that. He was more trustworthy, honest, and brave than I will ever be. But I was never envious. I loved Jason, and he loved me. And in some ways I feel like I failed him. I would take his place in a heartbeat if I had the chance. He was a bright young boy with his whole future ahead of him. But now he's gone," his voice broke and several people listening added their tears to his own. "And his future has been cut short. Jason Todd is gone, but he is not forgotten. I know I will never forget him." **(** **2)**

The audience clapped once again as Dick stepped away from the podium.

All of a sudden, the doors opened. Whining could be heard, and Bruce lost control of Ace's leash. The dog raced forward and jumped up, putting his two front paws on the coffin. He whimpered as he sniffed the wood and recognized his friend's scent. Several people began to cry harder as the dog laid down in front of the coffin, head on the floor, big brown eyes looking up at it sadly. **(3)**

Sadie rushed to Dick's side and snuggled up to him.

"Heel," he whispered.

She followed him from the room.

* * *

Wally looked past his umbrella to where Dick knelt in front of the headstone, letting the rain soak his hair and the mud dirty his nice suit. The redhead walked over and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on Dickie," he urged.

The seventeen-year-old stood up silently and followed Wally to the limo.

* * *

Wally hadn't seen Dick in almost a year. To say the least he was concerned.

But his worry dissolved quickly when the zeta tubes announced his arrival.

 _Recognized: Nightwing. B0-1. Robin. B2-0._

Heads turned in surprise. Dick entered with a young boy who looked about thirteen. He wore dark glasses that hid his eyes, concealing his identity. He wore Dick's old green hoodie and dark leggings. Dick was dressed in a Linkin Park tee and blue jeans, his blue eyes uncovered. **(4)**

"Dick?" Wally raised an eyebrow.

He smirked at his older friend, a stunning blow to the speedster. The last time they'd seen him, it had been at a meeting to discuss what had happen and schedule sessions with Black Canary. Dick would be getting therapy with Bruce, but he'd still attended. He'd been unemotional, his attitude frigid. All business. Wally never thought he'd see him smile again.

"This is Robin. Oh, and Tim?" he patted the boy's shoulder. "You can drop the shades."

Tim stuck his tongue out as Dick turned to walk away.

"And put that tongue back in your mouth Timmy. You're not a dog."

Tim huffed as he removed the shades, crossing his arms indignantly.

The Team's jaws dropped to the floor. Dick looked _happy_. He had a spring in his step again. He was joking and smiling, and _talking_.

Then Tim stuck his tongue out again.

"I know you're doing it again Tim," Dick mused.

Time threw his arms up in the air and groaned.

And Dick _laughed_. It wasn't just a sarcastic laugh either. It was his signature cackle that they'd come to love.

Wally leaned over to Conner.

"We're sure this is really him?" he whispered.

The Kryptonian shrugged, eyes still wide in disbelief.

Tim was, as Wally assumed, about thirteen. He had sapphire blue eyes and a mop of black hair. His skin was fair and he looked almost _exactly_ like Dick at that age. If Wally didn't know any better, he would have said they were brothers.

"Oh!" he exclaimed, smacking his forehead. "Where are my manners? Tim, that's Wally West. He's Kid Flash. That there is M'gann M'orzz, Miss Martian. That's Conner Kent, Superboy, and Artemis Crock, Artemis," he introduced. "Everyone, this is Tim Drake."

They all shook his offered hand with vigor, eager to meet the boy that had made their friend smile again.

"Where are the others?" he inquired.

"Tula Garth and Kaldur are in Atlantis for the day, something happening down there. Zatanna and Rocket are at a League meeting," Artemis answered. "They joined last week."

Dick frowned. "She didn't tell me," he muttered.

Wally smirked. "Forget about the girls! C'mere man, we've got some catching up to do!"

The acrobat smiled again as Wally wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him close, giving him a noogie.

 _'Yeah.'_ He thought as he tried to squirm out of Wally's headlock. _'Zatanna could wait.'_

* * *

 **A/N**

 **1-The song is called "Everything's Alright." It's by Laura Shigahara and it's from "To the Moon."**

 **2-I don't really know if that's how Jason behaved, I just believe that's how Dick would have seen him.**

 **3-This is based on a scene from the film "Max."**

 **4-Callback to a previous story where Wally admits that Dick is a Linkin Park fan.**

* * *

 **Me: Oh that was difficult to write holy shit.**

 **Disclaimer: I love beef stroganoff.**

 **Me: Same lmao.**

 **-SWGJOC227**


End file.
